BROCCOLI with BACON & LEEK

A client gave me the idea for this dish when she told me about a meal she had made a few weekends ago, featuring broccoli, bacon, walnuts and herbs. You can add any herbs you like to this dish; I just kept it nice and simple as I was (and am) running a few minutes behind today! If you do not eat meat, replace the bacon with 3 hardboiled eggs for your protein. 

Ingredients

• 1 head of broccoli, stalk & florets chopped into even pieces
• 1/4 cup almonds, halved 
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 a leek, white part only, finely chopped
• 100g bacon, fat removed and chopped into even pieces 
• paper towel
• 30g reduced-fat feta, crumbled 
• ground black pepper

Cooking 

1. Bring a small to medium saucepan filled 1/4 with water to the boil, covered. Once boiled, remove the lid and replace with the broccoli in a small colander or sieve, then cover with the lid. Leave to steam for around 4-5 minutes, then check to see if the broccoli is tender by placing a fork into a stalk. If the fork slides in with just a little bit of resistance, the broccoli is tender but not mushy. Remove the colander or sieve with the broccoli and discard the pan. 

2. Meanwhile, dry fry the almonds in a medium fry pan over medium-low heat for just 2 minutes or until the nuts are fragrant but not burnt. Remove from heat. 

3. Using the fry pan from step 2, swirl the oil to coat the pan over meidum heat. Add the leek to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Remove the leek from the pan and add the bacon to the pan, covering with a lid. Cook for around 2-4 or until the bacon is cooked to your liking. Remove the bacon from the stove and pat the excess oil out of the meat with a few paper towels. 

4. Toss the broccoli, almonds, leek, bacon, feta and a generous pinch of pepper in a large serving bowl. 

Serves / 2 
Total Preparation time / 10 minutes
Total Cooking time / around 10 minutes 

x Emily 

POTATO & LEEK SOUP

I’m wishing autumn away and hoping that winter comes soon with this leek & potato soup. Whilst I love the sun, there’s nothing I love more than hearty winter meals. Leek & potato may sound like a bland combination, but when paired with thyme it is just magical. Thank you to Gourmet Farmer Matthew Evans for the inspiration and for all your hearty & humble recipes. I love a filling meat-less dinner and what better way to start a week than with a filling, wholesome vegetable meal. Evans makes his own vegetable stock for this recipe, which I greatly admire (but did not 2 plus hours to do yesterday!). Hence I used water and unsweetened almond milk instead of stock, due its high sodium content. I further adjusted the recipe with a chunk less butter, less oil and less ingredients for a no-fuss soup.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 small tablespoons Nutalex or rice bran oil 
• 2 leeks, white part only, washed & finely chopped
• 1 handful of fresh thyme springs, stems discarded or 2 tablespoons dried thyme 
• 2 heaped tablespoons garlic or regular chives, finely chopped 
• 700g low-carb potatoes, such as Kestrels, peeled & chopped evenly into small cubes
• 1 handful of fresh thyme springs, stems discarded or 2 tablespoons dried thyme 
• 1 litre (4 cups) water 
• 2 cups unsweetened almond milk 
• a generous pinch of ground black pepper 
• roughly chopped almonds & finely chopped thyme & chives, to serve 

COOKING 

1. Melt the Nutalex or oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When just melted add the leeks, thyme and garlic chives and cook, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes or until the leeks are soft but not burnt. 

2. Add the potato cubes, water, almond milk and pepper and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer, lid on, for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are very tender and are falling apart when touched with a utensil. 

3. Pour the soup into a blender / food processor and blend / process into a puree. 

Serve with a few almonds, thyme and/or chives sprinkled on top. 

Serve warm or cold. 

Serves / 4 as a main 

Preparation time / 15 minutes 

From pot to plate  / 35 minutes 

x Emily 

NO-FUSS LEEK & POTATO SOUP

I’m wishing autumn away and hoping that winter comes soon with this leek & potato soup. Whilst I love the sun, there’s nothing I love more than hearty winter meals. Luckily, this soup actually tastes just as good cold as it does steaming hot (if not better). Leek & potato may sound like a bland combination, but when paired with thyme it is just magical. Thankyou to Gourmet Farmer Matthew Evans for the inspiration and for all your hearty & humble recipes. I love a meat-less Monday and what better way to start a week than with a filling, wholesome vegetable meal. Evans makes his own vegetable stock for this recipe, which I greatly admire (but did not 2 hours to do yesterday!). For Matthew’s recipe, pick up a copy of Feast magazine, April edition. I adjusted the recipe with a chunk less butter, less oil and less ingredients for a no-fuss soup.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 small tablespoons Nutalex or coconut oil 
• 2 leeks, washed & finely chopped
• 600g low-carb potatoes, such as Kestrels, peeled & chopped evenly into small cubes
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 1.5 litres Massel vegetable stock or homemade 
• roughly chopped almonds & finely chopped thyme & chives, to serve 

COOKING 

1. Melt the Nutalex or oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When just melted add the leeks and cook, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes or until the leeks are soft but not burnt. 

2. Add the potato cubes, thyme sprigs and stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer, lid on, for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are very tender and are falling apart when touched with a utensil. 

3. Discard the thyme sprigs and pour the soup into a blender and blend into a puree. 

Serve with a few almonds, thyme and chives sprinkled on top. 

Serve warm or cold. 

Serves / 6 as a side / 3-4 as a main 

Preparation time / 15 minutes 

From pot to plate  / 35 minutes 

x Emily 

POTATO, LEEK & CANNELLINI BEAN SOUP

This recipe was inspired from a Coles Winter Magazine that I picked up the other day during my grocery ventures. Whilst the temperature at night has dropped substantially in Brisbane, there is only a small window for soups before spring arrives. Now is the time to make soup, the true winter comfort food. I somehow manage to accumulate ample amounts of potato, sweet & regular, every week, hence they were thrown into the soup, along with some fresh garlic, market leeks and a can of cannellini beans that had been in my pantry for the better part of 2012. It made a delicious soup that really should feed 6 instead of 4! As far as soups go, this one is quite easy to make. Enjoy. 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large leeks, washed & finely chopped
• 1 medium leek, washed & finely chopped
• 1/2 a large garlic bulb, cloves finely chopped
• 2 medium regular potatoes, peeled & roughly chopped
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled & roughly chopped
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 2 cups water 
• 400g cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• coconut oil 

COOKING 

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil. Add 2 of the chopped large leeks and the garlic, stirring for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add chopped potato, sweet potato and dried thyme and stir to coat. Pour in stock and water, bringing to the boil. When boiled, reduce to a simmer and add the beans. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until potato is tender. 

2. Remove soup from heat. Using a blender or food processor, blend/ process soup until smooth (this should only take a few seconds). 

3. To make fried leek, heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the medium leek pieces and cook for 2 minutes, or until crisp. 

4. Pour soup into bowls and add fried leek on top if you desire. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 35 minutes 

x E

POTATO & LEEK SOUP

The skies have finally gotten gray and the wind is chilly enough to cook warm, wintery foods! Whilst I secretly love to hate winter as a few extra kilos appear on my body during this time (who doesn’t this happen to, I ask?) I cannot deny that the food is superb. Satisfying soups, cozy casseroles, ravishing roasts…the warm and comfy smells just get to me. This winter I am facing a challenge- to cook gluten free, dairy free and preservative free. Shit, just writing that made me realise how hard this is going to be. Not impossible however. I started my winter menu off with a Chicken & Chickpea Curry dish (check it out if you haven’t!) and will continue on with one of winter’s staples, even in tepid Brisbane, this being ladies and gentlemen; SOUP. 

INGREDIENTS

• 800g sebago potatoes, peeled and diced into 4cm equal pieces
• 1 leek, finely sliced
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 4 1/2 cups vegetable stock
• 2 teaspoons dried rosemary 
• sea salt & black pepper 

COOKING 

1. Place the potatoes, leek, onion, garlic, rosemary and stock in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the potato is very tender (you can stick a fork into a piece of potato without any force or trouble). Take the saucepan away from the heat and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes. 

2. Place the potato stock mixture into a food processor or blender and process/blend for only a few seconds until smooth and no lumps remain. Serve warm with sea salt & pepper. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 25-27 minutes (including cooling time)

x E