In spite of the freezing weather we have been having my parents’ vegetable garden is still producing.  Leeks, fennel, red cabbage and winter herbs like Italian parsley.  The chickens are still laying eggs and there is a store of pumpkins and apples, along with other things, in the back room.  Winter in the country does not produce the bounty that is harvested in the warmer months but there is still plenty going on.  The lunch we ate on the north facing veranda was made almost exclusively with ingredients produced on the property.  Mum made some of her excellent potato and leek soup which we ate with some of their own toasted sourdough.  This was followed by a frittata made with vegies from the garden and eggs from the chickens.  To take home, Mum gave me some fennel and red cabbage.

Potato and Leek Soup

Comforting Potato and Leek Soup

Ingredients

2 large leeks (washed and thinly sliced)

1 onion (chopped)

3 medium potatoes (peeled and roughly chopped)

600ml chicken stock

150ml thick cream

25g butter

sea salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)

Method

Sweat the onions and leeks in the butter without browning, add stock celery and potatoes.  Season to taste and simmer until the potatoes are soft.  Blend with a stick blender until smooth.  Can be eaten hot or cold (served cold it is vichyssoise).  Top with a teaspoon of cream and some chopped chives.  A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg can also be added to each bowl.

Red cabbage in the garden

I cooked the red cabbage with a couple of apples, a tablespoon of sugar, a dash of vinegar, some all spice and some caraway seeds.  You could omit the caraway seeds and add star anise instead.

Freshly cut red cabbage

Fennel just pulled from the ground