Dublin Coddle Soup

Serves 4. Takes an hour

The first time we ever made this we were, it has to be admitted, slightly squiffy, and we changed the magazine recipe we were using as a guide quite significantly as we went along. Sadly though, we forgot to write down the new, rather lovely, version, so it took several more attempts to get it right. This is it, smooth and creamy and comforting, not a million miles from the one that Nik's Mum used to make when he was a kid...

Soup base

1 onion finely chopped

butter to fry

4-5 slices of Serrano or Parma ham cut into 1 cm pieces

3 leeks, white parts only, roughly chopped

6 parsley stalks finely chopped

450g potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped

500ml full fat milk

500ml Vegetable Nage or Stock

For the coddle mix

12 cocktail sausages

250g celeriac peeled and cut into 1 cm cubes

1 large carrot peeled and cut in thin batons

Double cream and chopped parsley to serve

• Melt the butter in a large pan or wok. Lightly brown sausages, then remove from pan, set aside and keep warm
• Add ham to pan. Cook for a minute or so and then add onion, parsley stalks and leeks, cook slowly for 10 –15 minutes until melting
• Add milk, stock and potatoes, and simmer for 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then liquidise until very smooth.
• Season with salt and pepper, return the soup to the pan
• Meanwhile boil or steam the celeriac and carrots until just tender. Add them to the smooth soup, along with the sausages. Heat through and adjust seasoning.
• Serve with crusty bread, a dash of cream, and chopped parsley leaves