Sadie's Simple Leek Soup

Leek Soup

Holidays are over and you want a break from the starches and creams for the night; here is a recipe you will love.  It's a simple, clean soup without the starches and the cream; an easy recipe that will satisfy all your taste buds.

My family loves leeks; they will eat anything made with leeks.  I read that in the sixteenth century A.D., the Welsh made leeks their national symbol because they were convinced that the leeks they wore on their helmets to distinguish them from their enemies; strengthened them and helped them win wars. True or not, leeks are a gem in my kitchen and any recipe with leek, is a winner!

The fragrance and the flavor of leek is mild compared to its relative: garlic and onion.  If you have never used leeks in your dishes in the past, I would highly recommend cooking a recipe with them and taste for yourself.

I usually make a Potato and Leek soup with a cream base, but today, we wanted something simple, clean and tasty.  I used 4 ingredients to make this recipe, now that is simple!

Sadie's Leek Soup

RECIPE

1 medium sweet onion, diced
3 leeks, sliced
1 32oz organic chicken broth/stock
salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

In a medium soup pot, sweat onion and leeks.
 
Puree the onions and leeks with 2 cups of chicken broth/stock; in a food processor or use a hand held immersion blender. 

Add the remaining chicken broth/stock to the soup pot with the onion and leeks and heat for about 20 minutes on medium low heat.  Add salt to taste. 

Serves 4 - 6

                                                       Buon Appetito!!

Gluten-Free British Christmas Fruit Cake

My attempt to bake this gluten-free fruit cake; was amazingly successful!  It was pleasing to the eye, smelled sweet with all the scents of Christmas (cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg), it is light, very tasty  and I can hear myself oooing and aahhhing with delight.  Definitely five senses engaged!


The recipe was very easy to create gluten-free from the original recipe; most recipes can be adapted gluten-free, just give it a try.  There is a gluten-free mix that I suggest; at the bottom of this recipe, so you can have a gluten-free mix on-hand for other recipes or to bake this one again.  


I decided to use miniature bundt pans/tins (8oz), that I purchased for $1.49 each, at World Market.  I've had a lot of use for these miniature bundt tins, so it was worth purchasing a couple dozen to keep for other recipes.

Happy Baking and Happy Christmas as they say in England!

RECIPE FOR CAKE

Makes 8 miniature bundt cake pans or 1 regular bundt cake

Step 1

3 oz sultanas

3 oz raisins

3 oz currants

1/4 cup Whisky 

zest of 1 orange and juice

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a glass bowl and soak for 4-8 hours or overnight.

Step 2

2 tablespoons of butter, to prepare pan

5 oz unsalted butter, softened

5 oz dark brown sugar

3 eggs

2 tbsp milk

2 tbsp honey

Step 3

5 oz of cake flour (Gluten-Free flour mix, see below)
1 tsp Gluten-Free baking powder
1 tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

dash of nutmeg

1/2 tsp all spice

(Sift all ingredients and set aside)

DIRECTIONS FOR STEP 2 & 3
Prepare cake pans with butter.
Preheat oven 350*degrees


In a mixing bowl with paddle; add butter and sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time.
Add milk and honey.
Add flour mixture a little at a time. Once flour mixture is combined; Add soaked fruit with juices and stir a few times.


Spoon mixture into prepared pans and bake for 35-40 minutes in miniature tins. 
For regular size bundt cake pan; bake for 1 1/2 hours until center of cake comes out clean when inserted with a skewer.


Cool cakes in tin.
Step 4

6 tbsp apricot jam, warmed

4 oz mixed dry fruit (cherries, apricot, fig, oranges)

2 oz nuts (either almonds, hazelnut, walnuts or pecan)

DIRECTIONS:

On medium-low heat, heat jam and dried fruit and nuts for a few minutes until glazed. 

To decorate the top of your cake, drizzle the warmed jam with fruit and nuts over the top.

Chef Notes:

In Step 1 -  If you do not want to use a liquor, you can use apple cider juice in place of the whisky.

In Step 3 -  If you do not want to bake this gluten-free, use cake flour, regular baking powder and omit the xantham gum.

In Step 4 -  Topping is optional.  You do not have to use dried fruit or nuts, but the presentation is beautiful when you do decorate this cake.

This cake can be stored undecorated for up to a month in an airtight container.  You can also freeze this cake when it is undecorated for up to 6 months (if properly stored in freezer).  To defrost, leave in refrigerator or counter at room temperature and decorate.

Gluten-Free Mixture

10 ounces - fine corn/polenta flour

1 pound plus 2 oz - brown rice flour

8 ounces - garbanzo and fava bean flour

Mix all ingredients and store in airtight container.  Can be used for cakes, cookies and banana bread.

                 Buon      Appetito  !!