Dishing Up the Dirt

Tumbleweed Farm Potato Leek Soup with Herbed Socca Flatebread

Hanging out by the wood stove, playing endless card games, drinking tea (or wine depending on what time of day) and simply reconnecting with Taylor after what seems like the longest farm season of our lives is complete bliss. I’m treasuring every ounce of quiet time we have. Our “off season” is extremely short when it comes down to it and I know that our alarm clock will be going off at 4 am once again a little too soon this year. In just over a month we’ll be ordering seeds and soon after that greenhouses will be full again and our days will be lost in a haze of chaos, stress and not enough time to digest it all.

Between now and then we both have a lot to get done. Taylor will be taking on a lot of the winter chores so I can dedicate the next two months to recipe developing and writing for the book We still have farm projects that need to get done and daily chores that are mandatory to keep the farm alive. The good news is that this whole “book thing” (aka my dreams coming true!) could not have happened at a better time. The winter is the only time of the the year that I can dedicate my heart and soul to this project. And with that being said, I actually have a lot of the writing complete (I’ve worked on that part for over a year) and I can now dedicate a lot my days to recipe developing and photographing. It’s going to be busy and somewhat stressful but to tell you the truth-farming toughens a girl up and hard work and stress is just part of getting through any typical day so this should feel pretty normal (except I’ll be in clean clothes and not covered head to toe in dirt). That in and of itself is the weirdest feeling of them all.

Anyhow, back to this tasty meal. We whipped up this potato leek soup after an extremely chilly night here at the farm. We’d spent the early afternoon doing more cleanup work around the fields and the late afternoon lighting burn piles (and sipping whiskey to stay warm out in the bitter air.) As we were heading in for the afternoon I pulled up some leeks from the lower field and headed straight for the barn to collect previously harvested potatoes. I had one thing on my mind and that was comfort food. Thankfully, potato leek soup holds a special place in our hearts and we hope that you all enjoy this simple dish as much as we do. The herbed socca flatbread was a lovely addition and tasted great dunked into each bowl.

This soup tastes best when enjoyed with good company and a glass of your favorite house red wine. Cheers from Tumbleweed.

Tumbleweed Farm Potato Leek Soup

Prep Time: 25 minutes    Cook Time: 45-50 minutes    Serves: 4-6

Soup
  • 2 Tablespoons grass fed butter (can sub olive oil if need be)
  • 3 large leeks, finely chopped (white and light green parts only)
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 pounds of potatoes, scrubbed clean (no need to peel) and chopped into 1/2 inch chunks (yukon gold, Kennebec or Russet will work just fine)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 cups vegetable stock
  • Salt + pepper to taste
Herbed Socca Flatbread
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 cup chickpea flour
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil + more for the pan
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • sprinkle of black/white sesame seeds for topping

Preparation

  1. In a dutch oven heat the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Stir in the potatoes, salt, thyme, crushed red pepper flakes, and bay leaf. Cook for about 1 minute. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
  2. Carefully puree the soup in a high speed blender until smooth and creamy (this may need to be done in two batches depending on your blender) Alternately you can use an immersion blender but I find the soup is creamier when pureed with a high speed blender. Return the pureed soup to the pan and keep warm on a low heat. Season the soup with salt and pepper.
  3. While the soup simmers prepare your socca flatbread. Preheat the oven to 450F.
  4. Using a mortar and pestle grind the rosemary, thyme, salt, black peppercorns and cumin.
  5. In a medium bowl combine the chickpea flour, water, oil, salt and garlic. Stir in half of the herbed mixture and let the batter rest for 20-25 minutes.
  6. Pour the batter into a well greased 10 inch cast iron skillet (make sure it is greased really well to prevent sticking) Sprinkle with the remaining herbs and sesame seeds. Bake in the oven until lightly browned, about 10-12 minutes.
  7. Serve the soup with the socca flatbread and a glass of your favorite house red wine.

Notes

*Use this recipe as a guide. *Adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary. *Taste test as you go. *Cooking times vary from kitchen to kitchen and ingredient to ingredient so keep that in mind.


Leave a Reply

6 thoughts on “Tumbleweed Farm Potato Leek Soup with Herbed Socca Flatebread

  1. Pat says:

    Andrea, congratulations on the book contract! What a treat to have that work to occupy your OFF-SEASON!!! Re: potato soups, I often enrich my version with dry milk. Also, a stick blender is perfect for smoothing potato, tomato, and squash soups. Even if you don’t use it often, a stick blender is totally worthwhile. Thanks for all your good work both in the kitchen and out in your fields.

  2. This soup actually sounds like it would be amazing with whiskey…though I think that about nearly everything 😉 We have most of this in our CSA so I’ll definitely have this on the menu this week!

  3. Julie says:

    This looks, sounds heavenly. Question for you, re: pureeing the soup in a blender. I’ve heard that when pureeing hot liquids, it’s a good idea to open the pour valve on the blender. Thoughts?

  4. Anita says:

    Dear Andrea, congrats with the bookdeal. I hope it will be published in the netherlands, if it is I will definitely buy it!

  5. Ellen says:

    Congratulations on your well-deserved book deal! As a long-time follower who loves so many of your recipes and farm stories, I have been hoping you would write a book soon. Good luck! I can’t wait to get it!

  6. Katie Crouch says:

    I was so pleased to read that you will be creating a book! Since stumbling upon your blog a year or so ago, it has been my go to for soul-warming, simply delicious meals and I am eternally grateful for the inspiration you provide, the love you share through your writing and the beautiful imagery that ignites my passion to live simply, sustainably and with two feet planted firmly on the ground. Sending you lots of love and creative energy for this most magical chapter of your life.

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