A little more than a week ago the groundhog saw his shadow, predicting at least six more weeks of winter. A couple of days ago came the first snowmaggedon forecast of the season. With the potential for ten to twelve inches of snow I decided I should go into savory comfort food making mode. The kind of food to warm you up after spending hours shoveling the snow. At the top of the list was soup.
One of my friends shared she had made some Potato Leek Soup last week. As I thought about what soup to make, I kept coming back to Potato Leek Soup. It's simple to make, unapologetically hearty, and creamy. All good things.
A large bowl of velvety Potato Leek Soup paired with a salad would make a perfect lunch or light dinner. It's the kind of soup destined to leave you feeling full, feeling satisfied. Two really good things.
Leeks have a way of taking the humble potato to a new level of deliciousness. Many recipes for Potato Leek Soup call for either the use of Yukon Gold or Russet Potatoes. More specifically they advise against the use of waxy potatoes as they break down more slowly and can render a glue-like texture to the finished soup.
In general, most Potato Leek Soup recipes there will be a slightly higher proportion of potatoes to leeks. However, some prefer to have equal amounts of each while others call for a higher ratio of leeks to potatoes. This recipe used two pounds of potatoes (Yukon Gold) and one and a half pounds of leeks.
Some Potato Leek Soup purists use only leeks and potatoes. This less classic version adds celery, garlic, and shallots to the mix.
Use only the white and light green part of the leeks. Throw the dark green leafy portion away. After cutting the leeks lengthwise, rinse in water to remove any of the sandy soil lurking between its layers. Slice the leeks crosswise into thin half-moons.
To bring out the most flavor of the leeks, cook them slowly without letting them brown. Sauté them over a low heat in either vegetable oil or butter along with the chopped celery and shallots for approximately 10-15 minutes or until they are soft. Add in the garlic and sauté for 45-60 seconds, long enough to release it's fragrance.
Add the chicken stock, potatoes, bay leaf, and springs of thyme. Bring first to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are knife tender.
Many Potato Leek Soup recipes call for pureeing it in a blender, food processor or with an immersion blender. The use of any of those tools will contribute to a finished soup's gluey texture. To prevent this, remove the potatoes and put them through a ricer. This extra step is definitely worth the time as it will give the finished soup a richer, more velvety texture.
After removing the potatoes, the bay leave and thyme sprigs, process the soup in batches using a food processor, blender or immersion blender (I used a food processor) until it reaches your desired state of creaminess. Transfer the soup puree to a clean pot and add in the riced potatoes. Whisk in the heavy cream, season with salt and pepper, and reheat. The addition of heavy cream enhances the soup's flavor and richness. If you want a slightly less rich soup, add in milk or additional chicken stock instead. Note: This is a very thick soup, so if you want a thinner soup, add a little more chicken stock.
After ladling the soup into bowls, finish with a drizzle of a good quality olive oil and a garnish some chopped chives. Then sit back, savor its' deliciousness, and enjoy the moment.
If there was ever a soup to warm your soul, especially on a cold, snowy winter day, it would be this utterly satisfying Potato Leek Soup. We loved this soup the day it was made, but we loved it even more the second day as the flavors even further developed. So when either the weather turns cold or you have a craving for soup, put this Potato Leek Soup on the very top of your list. It's comfort food for the soul.
Potato Leek Soup (Several adaptations to the Potato-Leek Soup recipe in the cookbook 'Bon Appetit Y'All' by Virginia Willis.)
Ingredients
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil or unsalted butter
2 stalks celery finely diced
3 leeks (approximately 1 1/2 pounds), white and pale green parts only, well washed, halved, and thinly sliced into half-moons
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
1 quart (32 ounces) homemade or store bought chicken stock (low-sodium or unsalted)
1 fresh bay leaf
4-5 sprigs of fresh thyme
1/2 to 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Salt and pepper to taste (Note: I used black pepper, but if you don't want the specks of pepper to show in the finished soup, use white pepper.)
Optional: Good quality olive oil and/or chopped chives for finishing
Directions
1. In a medium-large sized cast-iron Dutch oven or heavy bottomed saucepan. Heat oil or melt butter. Add the celery, shallots, and leeks. Cook until soft, stirring occasionally, but not browned. Approximately 10-15 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (45-60 seconds).
3. Add the potatoes, chicken stock, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and gently simmer until the potatoes are knife tender (15-20 minutes).
4. Remove the bay leaf and thyme. Discard.
5. Remove the potatoes and place in a bowl. Put the potatoes through a ricer. Set aside.
6. In a food processor or blender, pour in the remaining soup mixture. Puree until smooth. Approximately 2 minutes. Return soup to a clean pot.
7. Return the riced potatoes to the pureed soup mixture. Whisk in the heavy cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Heat soup over medium heat until it's temperature ready to serve. Note: If the soup is too thick for your liking, add a little more chicken stock.
8. Ladle soup into bowls. Finish with a drizzle of good quality olive oil and chopped chives.
9. Refrigerate any leftover soup. It will be good several days.
(1) Could use Russet instead of Yukon Gold Potatoes in this soup. (2) If the texture of the soup is too thick for your taste, add a little more chicken stock until it reaches your desired texture. (3) Paired with a salad, you have a perfect lunch and/or light dinner. (4) If you don't have a ricer, process the soup mixture in batches in a blender or food processor until smooth. The texture of a blender finished soup may have a slightly gluey consistency.
Gray winter morning at Morton Arboretum (February 2018)
