Churchill’s finest fare: Potage parmentier (Potato and leek soup)

Churchill’s finest fare: Potage parmentier (Potato and leek soup)

Winston Churchill loved his food, and here, from this hearty beef fillet tournedos to a tempting clafoutis, are some of the dishes – as prepared by his chef Georgina Landemare – that fuelled his struggle against the Nazis.

Scrumptious! This tempting potato and leek soup was a delicious dish favoured by Churchill

Serves 6

  • 55g (2oz) butter
  • The white portion of 3 leeks, cleaned 
  • 1.2ltr (2pt) water or stock 
  • A pinch of salt 
  • 4 potatoes, chopped 
  • 2 slices of bread, cut into shapes of your choice 
  • 250ml (9fl oz) milk, boiled 
  • 4-6tbsp cream 
  • A few sprigs of chervil 

 Melt half the butter in a saucepan. Slice the leeks very finely and add to the butter. 

Cook on a low heat, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Add the water or stock. Season with salt. 

Add the potatoes and simmer for 20 minutes, until cooked. Remove the potatoes and leeks from the pan, reserving the liquid, and strain them through a sieve. 

Return the puréed vegetables to the liquid in the pan, then bring to the boil, stirring.

Brown the bread shapes in a frying pan with a little butter. 

Stir the milk and most of the cream into the soup and serve garnished with a spot of cream, chervil and the bread shapes.

Recipes adapted from Churchill’s Cookbook by Georgina Landemare, published by Imperial War Museums, priced £12.99, with additional photography by Will Heap. www.iwm.org.uk.