Leek, potato and cider soup with Welsh rarebit croutes
Serves: 6
Prep time: 30 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Helen Cathcart
Leek, potato and cider soup with Welsh rarebit croutes
A generous splash of cider elevates this humble favourite into something really special. Paired with cheesy croutes, it’s the perfect lunch to serve on a wet and windy day
Serves: 6
Prep time: 30 minsTotal time: 
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Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
643Kcal
Fat
38gr
Saturates
23gr
Carbs
46gr
Sugars
8gr
Fibre
6gr
Protein
22gr
Salt
2.4gr
Abigail Spooner
Abi is our Senior Food Producer. An obsessive foodie with a sweet tooth, she is happiest when baking and is a firm believer that there is always room for dessert (preferably following a big bowl of pasta)
See more of Abigail Spooner’s recipes
Abigail Spooner
Abi is our Senior Food Producer. An obsessive foodie with a sweet tooth, she is happiest when baking and is a firm believer that there is always room for dessert (preferably following a big bowl of pasta)
See more of Abigail Spooner’s recipes
Ingredients
- 50g butter
- 1 onion, diced
- 500g leeks, trimmed and sliced
- 450g floury potatoes (eg Maris Piper), peeled and cut into 2cm pieces
- 950ml vegetable or chicken stock (made with 2 stock cubes) - use vegetarian if required
- 400ml dry cider
- 150ml whipping or double cream
- 2 tbsp finely chopped chives
For the croutes
- 300g Lancashire cheese or mature cheddar, grated coursely
- 2 egg yolks
- 3 tbsp dry cider
- 1 tsp English mustard
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce - use a vegetarian alternative to Worcestershire sauce if required, eg Henderson’s relish
- 6 slices rustic bread (we used sourdough)
Step by step
Get ahead
Prep to the end of step 3 and chill for up to 3 days. The soup can be frozen, before adding cream.
- Melt the butter in a large lidded saucepan, add the onion, leeks and potatoes with a good pinch of salt and toss them in the butter to coat. Cover the pan and cook over a gentle heat for 15 minutes, until softened but not coloured.
- Stir in the stock and cider, bring up to the boil, then simmer for 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are just cooked.
- Blend the soup in 2 batches in a liquidiser until smooth, then season to taste. Return the soup to the pan and stir in 100ml of the cream.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high and gently re-heat the soup. Combine the grated cheese with the egg yolks, cider, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and some black pepper in a bowl. Place the slices of bread on a baking tray and grill until lightly toasted on both sides. Spread the cheese mixture on top and return to the grill until lightly browned.
- Ladle the soup into bowls, swirl through the remaining cream and top with the chopped chives. Serve the Welsh rarebit croutes alongside.
