chopped fresh chives or parsley, to garnish
4 leeks, trimmed and thickly sliced (around 700g/1lb 9oz prepared weight)
2 onions, chopped
3 potatoes (around 400g/14oz), peeled and cut into roughly 2cm/¾in chunks
1 litre/1¾ pints hot vegetable or chicken stock, made with 1 stock cube
salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp dried mixed herbs
1 tbsp sunflower oil
25g/1oz butter
100ml/3½fl oz milk or single or double cream
2–3 tbsp double or single cream, to garnish (optional)
warm crusty bread and butter, to serve