Upcycling kitchen scraps: Delicious leek leaf cream soup recipe

Instead of ending up in a pot, leeks often end up in the trash, even though they can become a valuable ingredient in dishes or their base. We are talking about leek leaves, the unfortunate green part, of which there are quite a few, and you never know what to do with them. If you are also troubled by throwing away the green parts of the leek, be sure to try this cream soup recipe.

Green cream soup has gained recognition among those who appreciate simple kitchen solutions and a zero-waste cooking approach. The recipe is easy to recreate and does not require special shopping.

Leek leaves often end up in broth, enhancing its flavour. However, this is not the only proper solution, especially if you have young leek leaves. These can simply be chopped and added to a salad or used instead of green onions on sandwiches or in sandwich spreads. Older green parts of the leek should be blanched beforehand.

Leek leaves can also be used in a meat marinade—just grind them into a paste with olive oil, garlic, rosemary, or thyme. On the other hand, dried and powdered leek leaves make excellent seasoning. Mix them with salt and season soups, sauces, and salads.

Ingredients:

• 0.5 kg (approximately 1 pound) of whole leeks or just the green leaves,
• 2 onions,
• 2-3 cloves of garlic,
• 2 potatoes,
• 1 carrot,
• 5 allspice berries,
• 4 bay leaves,
• 3 tablespoons olive oil,
• salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation:

1. Cut the onion, leek into thick slices, and thinly slice the garlic.
2. In a heated pot, fry the onion and leek in fat. Fry the vegetables over low heat so that they brown nicely and soften.
3. Peel the potatoes and carrots, then cut them into larger cubes. Add the vegetables to the frying onion and leek. Mix everything and fry for 5 minutes. Toward the end, add the chopped garlic.
4. When the garlic is browned, pour in water—enough to constitute two-thirds of the whole mixture.
5. Add the allspice berries and bay leaves to the soup. Cook everything over medium heat until the potatoes and carrots soften.
6. Finally, season the soup with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaves and allspice berries from the pot.
7. Blend the soup with a blender to make it cream.
8. You can slightly whiten the soup with heavy cream, coconut milk, or another "whitener."
9. Serve with toasted pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or white sesame seeds.