This recipe originates with the Moone High Cross in County Kildare, Ireland. The inn is owned by the Clynch family and it's been in operation 1700's. We've adapted the recipe a bit (but just a wee bit). The inn was County Kildare's "Pub of the Year" in 2004. Purportedly a celebrity favorite, they even named their bar "The Clint Eastwood Saloon". If you go, it's on the road from Dublin to Kilkenny.
It all begins with a savory vegetable stock.
Homemade Vegetable Stock Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 onions chopped
- 1 leek (white part only)
- 1 carrot peeled and chopped
- 1 celery stalk chopped
- 5 large white mushrooms, chopped
- 1 potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 6 1/2 cups cold water
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 bay leaf
- 6 sprigs of flat-leaf parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
Vegetable Stock Preparation:
- In a stockpot melt butter and saute onions for 5 minutes until they start to brown.
- Add leeks, carrots, celery, mushrooms, potatoes and 1/3 cup of the water.
- Cook covered for 5 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients (water, garlic, peppercorns, thyme, bay leaf, parsley and salt) to pot.
- Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer uncovered for 2 hours.
- Strain stock through a fine strainer into a suitably sized bowl or container for storage.
Soup Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 leeks (white part only) washed and sliced
- 1 large onion chopped
- 6 medium potatoes peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 6 cups of vegetable stock (see how to make your own with the recipe below!)
- 1 1/4 cups half and half
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Minced fresh flat leaf parsley for garnish
Soup Preparation:
- In a stockpot melt butter and saute onions and leeks at a low heat (covered) for 5 to 7 minutes so that the onions and leeks are soft but not browned.
- Add potatoes and stock and cook for 30 minutes until potatoes are soft.
- Remove from heat and let cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Transfer all to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Unless you have a very large food processor you will have to work in batches.
- Return soup to stockpot and briskly stir in half and half.
- Add salt and pepper and simmer until soup is hot.
- Serve in bowls, sprinkle with parsley. Eat with a crusty bread.
Recipe from "The Irish Pub Cookbook" by Margaret M. Johnson
Photos by Shari K. Johnston-O'Neill