I love this time of year when the leaves on my Japanese maple trees turn various shades of red, burgundy and buttery yellow, contrasting with the feathery, copper-coloured heads of Miscanthus grass nearby. One interesting neighbor is the crab apple tree, which produces plump red fruits for what will eventually become a birds’ feast. The pathway is lined with silvery lavender plants. Garlic is already in the ground for another year of harvesting, and the ground is blanketed with the frost; the garden is slowly going into resting mode, stocking up seeds for sprouting. Oh, this is my most favourite season! All I have left to do is fall clean-up: yikes!
Today I thought I would share the photos from our trip to Denman Island to celebrate the beauty of British Columbia along with the heart-warming soup recipe that I created and photographed for a local pasta company, Duso’s. Stay warm, everyone!
Potato Leek Soup with Roasted Garlic Chicken Tortelloni
Serves 4 to 6
4 strips bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces
2 tablespoons butter
1½ tablespoons garlic, sprout removed and finely chopped
2 leeks, white stems only, rinsed well and cut into ¼ inch rounds
2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced into ½ inch cubes
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced into ½ inch cubes
4 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 heaping cup crimini mushrooms, rinsed and cut into ¼ inch slices
1 cup whole milk
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup heavy cream
1 cup baby spinach, rinsed and pat dried
1 pack (350g) Duso’s Roasted Garlic Chicken Tortelloni
Place the bacon in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté until crispy, then add the butter, garlic, leek, potatoes and carrot, and continue to cook for about 10 minutes.
Add the stock and bring to a boil. Remove the scum as necessary. Add the bay leaf and mushrooms. Bring the heat down and simmer, partially covered, until potatoes start to lose shape, for about 25 minutes.
In the meantime, cook Duso’s Roasted Garlic Chicken Tortelloni according to the package instructions. Drain well and set aside.
Add the milk to the soup, adjust with salt and pepper and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the cream and cook for a few minutes. Then, add the spinach and cooked pasta, and continue to simmer until spinach is wilted.
Serve hot in individual bowls, adding salt and pepper to taste.
