Bombay Aloo Potato soup, Bread and Masala Butter

BOMBAY ALOO POTATO SOUP, BREAD AND MASALA BUTTER (SERVES 3-4)

WHAT YOU NEED

Ingredients

2 to 3 medium-sized, 500g of potatoes peeled and chopped into smallish chunks

100g butter

1 medium-sized white onion, 300g chopped into chunks

1 leek, the white part only, chopped chunky

*1 sachet Green Saffron ‘Bombay Aloo’ spice mix.

1250ml, full-fat milk (OR 1150ml milk and 100ml of cream for extra deliciousness) and a little more in reserve, just in case!

Fresh herbs roughly chopped; a mix of your favourite, but I like a mix of parsley, chives and coriander

*You can grind the spices in a pestle and mortar or a coffee grinder if you’d like a smooth soup, no ‘bits’!

Masala butter

Ingredients

200g good Irish butter, salted and at room temperature

1½ tsp Green Saffron ‘Garam Masala’ spice mix

½ tsp lemon zest, finely grated

1tsp parsley, finely chopped

For the Masala butter:

Take a small bowl, mix all the ingredients together and pop in the fridge for later. You’ll be using this to butter your bread!

Now for the main feature….

Make the Masala butter, as above (if you haven’t already done so) and pop it in the fridge
Now, take a large pot, add the plain butter (NOT your Masala butter!), allow to melt then add the onion, leek, your Green Saffron ‘Bombay Aloo’ spice mix and sweat for 15 minutes, lid on, stirring occasionally
Then, add all the potatoes and sweat gently with the lid on for another 25 to 30 minutes, stirring frequently
Add the 1250ml milk, give the mixture a good stir, bring to a gentle simmer and allow to bubble gently for 5 minutes
Then, take the pot off the heat, add the cream, if using, then pour into a food processor or a blender, or use a hand-held stick blender and blitz ‘til smooth and creamy. Add a little more milk if you’d like the soup a little thinner. Then set aside, keeping it warm.
Spread some crusty bread with your Masala butter, sprinkle the soup with generous amounts of the fresh herbs and serve immediately to your eagerly awaiting guests!