Simple Soups: a Burns Night recipe for Neeps & Tatties soup

Raise your spoon to Robbie Burns with this soup recipe for January 25

Beverley Hicks

Beverley Hicks22 January 2016

Although not traditional, sweet potatoes have been used in this recipe in place of regular potatoes. Their distinct flavour works really well with the earthy and slightly sweet taste of the swedes.

Ingredients (serves 4)

½ tablespoon coconut oil

I large onion, peeled and roughly chopped

2 fat garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1 large leek, finely chopped and rinsed

1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1cm cubes

1 large swede, peeled and chopped into 1cm cubes

1 sprig thyme

1 bay leaf

750ml vegetable stock

Himalayan pink salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion, garlic and leek and sauté for 4-5 minutes until soft. Tip in the potato, swede, thyme and bay leaf and sauté for a further 2-3 minutes. Pour in the stock, bring to the boil then simmer for 20-25 minutes until all the vegetables are tender.

Pick out the thyme sprig and bay leaf and blend the soup with a stick blender until smooth, at this stage you can add a little water to your soup if it is too thick. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Ladle into warmed bowls and garnish with s swirl of crème fraîche, some fresh thyme leaves and a few drops of sriracha hot sauce to spice things up a bit!