Potato Soup

Most of us have potatoes and onions in the house even if the cupboard is otherwise bare, so you could make this delicious soup at a moment's notice. You can leave the herbs out, and you can garnish with anything you like: try fresh pesto, chunks of chorizo, or red pepper puree.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 2  ounces butter
• 4  ounces  chopped onions
• 14  ounces  peeled diced potatoes
•  salt
•  fresh ground black pepper
• 1  quart  chicken stock or 1  quart  vegetable stock
• 1 -2  tablespoon herbs, chopped (parsley, thyme, lemon balm and or or chives)

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over a medium-low heat. When it foams, add the onion and potato.
2. Season well, stir, then cover with a lid made from baking parchment, putting the paper on top of the vegetables.
3. Cover the pan, turn the heat low and sweat over a gentle heat for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, bring the stock to the boil.
4. When the vegetables are soft but not coloured add the freshly chopped herbs and stock and continue to cook until the potatoes are soft enough to crush.
5. Purée the soup in a blender. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Thin with more stock or milk if you like.
6. Serve sprinkled with a few chopped herbs and some chive or thyme flowers in season, or garnish with potato chips.