Island Entertaining story and photo by Karen Miller

POTATO LEEK SOUP

Ingredients 2 lbs. potatoes, peeled and cubed 4 leeks, cleaned and sliced, white and light green parts only 1/4 cup olive oil Pinch of nutmeg 1/2 cup dry white wine 6 or 7 cups chicken or vegetable stock 3/4 cup heavy cream 8 oz. sour cream 1 cup chopped flat leaf parsley Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation Sauté leeks in olive oil until tender. Add a pinch of nutmeg and white wine, then simmer for one minute. Add potatoes and enough stock to cover, then bring to a low simmer and cook until potatoes are tender. Use an immersion blender to puree potato and leek mixture. Add heavy cream, sour cream, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. If the soup is too thick, add more stock and reheat gently, do not boil. Serves 6-8.

MINESTRONE SOUP

Ingredients 3 tbs. olive oil 2 carrots, finely diced 2 small zucchini, finely diced 1 onion, finely chopped 3 ribs celery, finely diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 28 oz. canned diced tomatoes 1 quart vegetable stock plus extra to thin out soup 15 oz. canned white beans, drained 15 oz. canned kidney beans, drained 1 tbs. Italian seasoning Salt and pepper 1/2 cup each fresh basil and parsley, chopped Cooked small pasta of your choice Grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation Cook carrots, zucchini, onions, celery, and garlic in olive oil until vegetables become soft. Add tomatoes, broth, beans, and Italian seasoning and simmer for 10-15 minutes, adding more broth if mixture is too thick. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in basil and parsley. To serve, scoop cooked pasta into each bowl and ladle soup over all. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Serves 8.

Potato Leek Soup

Soup, Glorious Soup!

STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN MILLER

Winter in Florida is temperate compared to the rest of the country, but we still have a few frosty days, making it a great time to get out your soup or stock pot and simmer your chills away! Soup recipes can range from simple and inexpensive to complex and elegant. For instance, Potato Leek Soup costs only about $10 for an entire pot that serves 8, but Seafood Gumbo may cost up to $80 to make. In any case, good soup is worthy of serving at any dinner party, along with salad, fi ne wine, and a crusty baguette.

At our house, we like to make a large pot of our favorite soup and freeze leftovers for the next cold snap. Some soups don’t freeze well, however, especially soups that include noodles or pasta, such as Minestrone. I suggest cooking the pasta separately, placing it in each soup bowl, and ladling the Minestrone over the top. Add some grated Parmesan cheese and a piece of garlic bread, and you’ve got a hearty, heartfelt meal to serve your loved ones.

The key to successful soup-making? Fresh ingredients, of course! Base your choices on what’s in season, and what looks good at the grocery store or farmer’s market. Here are a few of my favorite winter soup recipes.

For the Seafood Gumbo recipe, visit www.ameliaislander.com/recipes.