Ash’s Smoked Potato & Leek Soup served with Garlic Butter Potato Croquette & Basil Oil

Chef of the Year Ash Davies

Dormy Care Recipe

Ash’s Smoked Potato & Leek Soup served with Garlic Butter Potato Croquette & Basil Oil Soup ingredients: 2 Large onions diced

A few sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked

3 Carrots diced

4 Garlic gloves

1 Bunch of celery diced

Smoked sea salt

3 large leeks

850ml-1.2L Vegetable stock

6 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

Dash double cream

Garlic butter croquette ingredients: 6 cloves peeled garlic

Flour for dusting

250g salted butter, room temperature

2 Eggs, beaten

500g potatoes, peeled and diced.

Panko breadcrumbs

100g fresh flat leaf parsley

Basil oil ingredients: Extra virgin olive oil 50ml Bunch of fresh basil (about 100g)

Pinch of salt

Soup Method Step One:

Fry the onions, carrot and celery together on a medium heat until soft. (About 8 minutes).

Step Two:

In the meantime, separate the leeks into the white roots and green stems. Slice both finely.

Step Three:

Add diced potato to the pan and continue to fry gently until it begins to tenderise.

Step Four:

Add the white roots of the leeks to the pan and cook until tender. 3-5 minutes.

Step Five:

Add garlic and thyme. Cook for a further minute. Season with smoked sea salt and pepper.

Step Six:

Add vegetable stock until all the vegetable in the pan are covered. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer – about 5 minutes. Do not overcook or the soup will lose its fresh flavour.

Step Seven:

Add the green leek stalks for the final 3 minutes of simmering.

Step Eight:

Use a hand blender to thoroughly blend all ingredients. Add a dash of double cream (or coconut milk to make it dairy free!)

Step Nine:

Strain through a sieve into a fresh pan, and bring back up to heat. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Croquettes Method Step One:

Use a food processor to blend garlic, butter and parsley together. Use a little olive oil to loosen if needed. If you do not have a food processor, simply grate garlic and chop parsley and mix thoroughly into the butter. Chill in the fridge until needed later.

Step Two:

Place potatoes in a pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until a knife easily pierces through a potato.

Step Three:

Mash the potatoes and season with salt and pepper.

Step Four:

Roll the mash into balls (about 50g). Make a small hole using your thumb, then push a teaspoon of garlic butter into the hole and cover back up with mash.

Step Five:

Get three bowls ready, one with flour, one with the beaten eggs, and the last with breadcrumbs.

Roll the potato ball in the flour, shaking off excess. Then dip into the egg mixture, followed by rolling in the breadcrumbs.

Step Six:

Deep-fry the croquettes at 150 degrees until golden brown and crispy.

Basil Oil Method Step One:

Wash basil. Bring a pot of water to boil and add clean basil leaves to the pot of boiling water.

Blanch for 20 seconds.

Step Two:

Immediately drain it from boiling water and shock it in ice water bath to stop cooking process.

Step Three:

Drain onto kitchen towel to remove some of the excess liquid.

Step Four:

Into a blender, add the basil leaves, oil, and salt. Blend until smooth.

Step Five:

Strain through fine sieve and leave in a container overnight for the best flavour.