Leek, Potato and Cheddar Soup with Crusty Bread

Method

1. Dissolve the sugar in the warm water in a bowl or jug. Add the yeast and allow it to dissolve and activate. You will know it’s ready when it froths up on the top of the water.

2. Combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. When the yeast mixture is frothy, pour it into the flour and stir well to make your dough. This will be a very wet dough, so do not be alarmed if it looks very sticky, it is meant to be. Cover the bowl with cling film and allow to proof in a warm place for one hour, it will roughly double in size in that time.

3. When the dough has been proofing for about thirty minutes, preheat your oven to 220 Celsius. Put a cast iron casserole in the oven and heat that up at the same time.

4. After one hour, turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Again, it will be very wet – do not freak out - it is meant to be. Sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold the dough it back on itself about four times to form a round loaf. Line a bowl with grease proof paper and carefully pop the dough into the bowl, seam side down. Cover with a towel and let it rest for fifteen minutes.

5. After fifteen minutes, carefully take your casserole dish out of the oven, it will be very hot. Use the edges of the paper to lift the dough out of the bowl and drop it, still in the paper, into the dish. Cover and put it back in the oven. Bake for thirty minutes.

6. Once you have put the bread into the oven to bake, prepare the soup.

7. Trim and slice the leeks. Wash them thoroughly in a colander under running cold water. Peel and slice the onions, peel and mince the garlic.

8. Peel the potatoes and the parsnip and cut them into two-centimetre sized chunks.

9. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large pan over high heat. Once the butter begins to foam, add the onions and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for a few minutes until the onions have softened, then add the garlic, the leeks and the grated nutmeg. Cook for another five minutes, stirring regularly until the leeks have softened.

10. Add the chopped potatoes and parsnips to the pan and pour in the stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and add the salt and a good grind of black pepper. Stir, pop on the lid and let the soup simmer for fifteen minutes until the potatoes and parsnips cooked through and soft.

11. After your bread has been baking for thirty minutes, remove the lid and bake for another fifteen minutes to get the crust nice and golden. Transfer the baked loaf to a wire rack and allow it to cool a little.

12. Use a potato masher to break up the potatoes until you have a nice chunky soup. If you prefer a very smooth soup, use a blender to whizz it until smooth.

13. Stir in the grated cheddar until it is melted. Taste, adding more black pepper or salt if required.

14. Grill some bacon until crispy and cut into small pieces. Grate more cheddar and chop a few spring onions.

15. Serve the soup with grated cheddar, crispy bacon and chopped spring onion on top, with the freshly baked crusty bread, and of course lots of butter, on the side.