St. Patrick’s Day Fun at The Peddler’s Daughter and Bonus Potato Leek Soup Recipe

Live music, contest drawings, dancing and more fun events at the Peddler's Daughter in Nashua from March 13-17.

The Peddler’s Daughter in Nashua offers a taste of Ireland year-round, but during St. Patrick’s Day week the place gets downright jiggy. On Wednesday, March 11, attend a Guinness Beer Dinner ($45). Find live music March 13 to 17. The holiday starts at 8 a.m. with breakfast and Frank FM, with fun drawings for trips to Napa Valley and Bretton Woods. Later, listen to Irish Whispa from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and New Hampshire Pipe and Drums and Irish dancers. Old Salt finishes the afternoon and Pop Farmer is on board at 7 p.m. An Irish menu is offered all week, including breakfast bangers. On Sunday, March 29, there is Dennis Leary Firefighters Foundation check presentation and Guinness Glass Engraving event from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. There is a Haverhill, Mass., location too.

The Peddler’s Daughter
48 Main St., Nashua
(603) 821-7537
Lunch and dinner served daily 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday brunch, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Cream of Potato and Leek Soup

From The Peddler’s Daughter, Nashua (serves four)

• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 3 large Russet potatoes peeled and sliced
• 1 bunch of cleaned baby leeks sliced, whites parts only
• 1 small Spanish onion, chopped
• 2 cups of chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons of roux (1/2 stick butter, 2 tablespoons of flour)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper

Roux

Mix 1/2 stick of melted butter and 2 tablespoons of flour and mix together until butter is absorbed into flour.

Melt butter in heavy, large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks and onions; stir to coat with butter. Cover saucepan; cook until leeks are tender, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes. Cover and cook until potatoes begin to soften but do not brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add chicken stock. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes.

Purée soup in batches in processor or blender (no more than half full) until almost smooth or use an immersion blender. Return to saucepan. Add roux and simmer until soup gets thicker. To finish, stir in cream or half and half. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared one day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Bring soup to simmer. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with chives or chopped scallions and serve with Irish brown bread.