Dark Days Update #2: Potato/Leek Soup & Savory Muffins!

This Dark Days Challenge update is courtesy of our freezer! I made and froze the soup back in late October While the savory muffins were baked and frozen in mid-November. I left both soup and muffins to thaw as I headed off to work. By the time I came home the 2 portions of soup were ready to cook. I added just a little water and let them warm up. For the muffins I lightly toasted them for 10 minutes after they had thawed. Simple, Easy, and Delicious!

Below the picture you will find recipes for both the Potato & Leek Soup and the Cheddar & Leek Muffins.

Potato & Leek Soup (with Stillman's Sausage, Local Cheddar, and Sage from the garden)

Makes 6 servings

1 lb of leeks, cleaned and darker parts removed. Between 4 - 6 leeks

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Heavy Pinch of kosher salt

1-1.5 lbs potatoes, diced small (peeling them is up to you).

3-4 cloves of garlic, diced.

1 quart vegetable broth

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon pepper (black or white is a matter of preference)
1 tablespoon chives/rosemary/sage depending on preference
--Chop the leeks into small pieces.

--In a 6-quart pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the leeks and salt and let simmer for 5 minutes.
--Lower the heat to medium-low and cook until the leeks are soft and tender, 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
--Add the potatoes, minced garlic and broth, raise the head to medium-high and bring to a boil. Once boiling reducing the heat to low, cover, and simmer gently until the potatoes are nice and soft 40-45 minutes.--Turn off the heat and puree with immersion blender or food processor until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream, buttermilk and pepper until well blended. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Sprinkle with herbs and serve.

As Gail is a vegetarian she enjoyed hers as listed above. I broiled and sliced a Stillman's Farm sweet Italian pork sausage into my portion. Once the soup was spooned into bowls I topped it with a few slices of cheddar cheese, sage from our garden, and an additional sprinkling of pepper.

Local ingredients in the Potato & Leek Soup: Leeks (my garden & Stillman's Farm), Potatoes & Garlic (Atlas Farm), Heavy Cream & Buttermilk (Garelick Farms), Herbs (my garden), Optional: Sweet Italian Sausage (Stillman's Farm), Cheddar (Grafton Village Cheese)

Cheddar and Leek Muffins(recipe from the kitchn)

Makes 12 muffins

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cup corn flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
7 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, divided
2 tablespoons honey
1 1/4 cups thinly sliced leeks, white and light green parts only, divided
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

--Preheat the oven to 375° F. Grease or line a 12-cup muffin tin with baking papers or 5-inch squares of parchment.

--Sift all the dry ingredients together into a large mixing bowl.

--In a small bowl, beat the eggs, buttermilk, 5 tablespoons of the melted butter, and honey.

--Make a well in the dry ingredients and incorporate the wet ingredients. Stir until smooth. Stir in the cheese and 1 cup leeks.

--Spoon the mixture into the muffin cups, filling each about three quarters full.

--Top each muffin with a few of the remaining leek rings and a spoonful of the remaining melted butter.

--Bake 20-25 minutes, or until tops just begin to brown.

Local ingredients in the Cheddar and Leek Muffins: All-Purpose Flour (King Arthur Flour), Eggs (Stillman's Farm), Buttermilk (Garelick Farms), Butter & Cheddar (Cabot Cheese), Honey (Keown Orchards), and Leeks (my Garden & Stillman's Farm)

This weekend we were able to eat locally with the help of:

Stillman's Farm, Atlas Farm, Keown Orchards, King Arthur Flour, Garelick Farms, Cabot Cheese, Grafton Village Cheese, and My Garden.