Moone High Cross Inn at Bolton Hill, in Moone, County Kildare, is a rambling eighteenth-century country inn operated by the Clinchy family. It makes an ideal stop along the N-9 route between Dublin and Kilkenny. In addition to the picturesque location, original interior, and quirky, bric-a-brac-filled courtyard, there’s always traditional home cooking and convivial conversation on the pub’s menu, which explains why it was named County Kildare “Pub of the Year” in the 2004 Black and White pub awards competition. The fact that it’s been a favorite watering hole for celebrities such as Clint Eastwood adds to its charm. This traditional potato and leek soup is always “on the hob.”
SERVES 6 TO 8
2 tablespoons unsalted Kerrygold Irish butter
3 leeks (white part only), washed and sliced
1 large onion, chopped
6 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
6 cups homemade vegetable stock, canned low-sodium vegetable broth, or 6 vegetable bouillon cubes mixed with 6 cups boiling water
1¼ cups half-and-half
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Minced fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish
1 In a stockpot or large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the leeks and onion, cover, and cook, stirring once or twice, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft but not browned. Add the potatoes and stock or broth, cover, and cook for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
2 Working in batches, transfer the soup to a food processor or blender and purée until smooth. (Or purée in the pot with an immersion blender.) Return the soup to the pot, whisk in the half-and-half, and season with salt and pepper. Simmer until heated through.
3 To serve, ladle the soup into shallow bowls and sprinkle with parsley.
