Vegan Coconut Vichyssoise

Rinse the sliced leeks thoroughly in a large bowl of cold water, agitating well to remove any grit. Lift them out and drain, then pat reasonably dry with a clean towel. Dice the onion, slice the garlic, and peel and dice the potatoes, keeping the potatoes in cold water until needed to prevent browning.

Warm the olive oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over the lowest possible heat. Add the leeks, onion, and a pinch of salt, stir to coat, then cover with a lid and sweat very gently for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until completely soft, translucent, and silky — they should not take on any colour whatsoever.

Add the garlic and cook, uncovered, over low heat for 3 minutes until fragrant but not browned.

Drain the potatoes and add them to the pan along with the vegetable stock. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a steady simmer.

Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until the potatoes are completely tender and collapse when pressed against the side of the pan with a spoon.

Remove from the heat and stir in the coconut milk, white pepper, and 1 tsp fine salt. Allow the soup to cool for 10 minutes before blending.

Transfer the soup in batches to a high-powered blender — do not use a stick blender, a high-speed upright blender is essential for the ultra-smooth, restaurant-quality texture. Blend each batch on high for a full 2 minutes. Pass the blended soup through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing with a ladle to push through as much as possible; discard the fibrous solids left in the sieve.

Transfer the strained soup to a lidded container or bowl, season carefully with additional fine salt to taste, then press a sheet of cling film directly onto the surface to prevent a skin forming.

Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, or ideally overnight, until thoroughly chilled — vichyssoise must be served cold.

Ladle into chilled bowls. Finish each portion with a thin drizzle of your best extra-virgin olive oil, a generous scatter of fresh chives, and a pinch of flaky sea salt. Serve immediately.