Mixed Salad with Ceasar Dressing

1 bag mixed salad leaves
1 large clove garlic or 4 small ones, finely minced
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp white vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1/2 a lime
Salt and pepper to season
4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Method
Wash salad leaves well and dry thoroughly in a tea towel or using a salad spinner. In a mixing bowl, put in garlic, mayo, vinegar and mustard and combine using a whisk. Add olive oil in a stream, whisking all the time to incorporate. Season with salt, pepper and line juice.

In a large bowl, combine salad leaves and dressing. You could also add some croutons and diced, crisp fried bacon. Top with Parmesan and serve.

Leek and Potato Soup

It has been a while since my last post. We were traveling for a couple of months and then the crazy weather in Pune had me out with a throat infection. My voice still plays truant but Arun isn't complaining :)

It has been raining non-stop for the last couple of days. A soup sounded perfect to liven up the damp evening. I picked up some fresh leeks on Sunday, so potato leek soup it was! The recipe is amazingly simple and even simpler if you have a hand held, immersion blender. I paired the soup with a nice, crisp salad with Caesar dressing and some warm herb bread. Nice!

ingredients
4 medium leeks
4 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 bay leaf
5-6 black peppercorns
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup dry white wine
5 cups chicken stock
3/4 teaspoon white pepper
Salt to taste
1/2 cup cream
2 tablespoons chopped chives(optional)

Method
Trim the leeks taking out the root and bruised leaves. Remove 2 of the largest and longest leaves. Make a package by folding the 2 leaves around the bay leaf, peppercorns and thyme. Tie into a bundle with kitchen twine and set aside.

Cut the leeks in half lengthwise and wash under running water to remove any dirt. Slice fine including some of the green leaves.

In a large stew pot, melt the butter. Add the leeks and cook covered for about 5 minutes until the leeks soften. Add the white wine and bring to a boil. Now add the potatoes, the herb package, stock and cook covered for about 30 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked. Remove the herb package.

Using an immersion blender,puree the soup until well-blended. If using a mixie or food processor, take the the pot off the heat and wait for the soup to cool before blending in batches. Return the pot to the heat. Add cream, pepper and salt as needed, and heat through. Sprinkle some chopped chives on top or any fresh herb before serving. A mixed salad with Caesar dressing and any toasty bread goes well with the soup.