Carrot Leek Potato Soup

Clean 280 g leeks. Slice the whole leek lengthways, then cut into small slices. Tip into a bowl and rinse with water, repeating as many times as necessary. Drain water and dry.
Heat 1 tablespoon cooking oil in a stock pot or saucepan over low-medium heat. Add the sliced leeks and let them gently sweat down until softened and sweet, around five minutes.
Add 3 cloves garlic and stir everything together. Cook for another 30 seconds.
Add 250 g carrots and 100 g potato (both peeled and chopped) to the pan. Stir everything together and cook for another minute.
Pour in 750 ml hot water and 1 vegetable stock cube. Give it a good stir.
Cover the pot and let it simmer on medium heat for 15-20 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender.
Blend the soup until completely smooth using an immersion stick blender, or carefully transfer it in batches to a regular blender. (If using a regular blender, cool the soup before using it, don't fill it more than halfway, and hold a tea towel over the lid — hot soup tends to explode upwards!).
Season the soup with fine sea salt to taste¹and ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper. Turn off the heat.
Wait for a minute, then stir through 40 g extra mature white cheddar.
Ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika between all the bowls and top with herbs of choice (I used spring onion greens).