Leek & Potato Soup
This Leek & Potato Soup or Vichyssoise (a French term for traditionally serving this soup chilled but can still be served hot) is simple and delicious. Leeks and potatoes blended together create a nice creamy and smooth starch-based soup. It's a great blend of flavors for a savory comfort soup. They are good staples in Irish and French cuisines.
Ingredients
For Soup:
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 large leeks, sliced
- 7 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 large russet potatoes, cut into quarter pieces
- 3-4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste
For Garnish:
- dried or fresh chives, for garnish
- sour cream, for garnish, if desired
Instructions
For Soup:
- Prepare and wash all produce. Chop produce. To prepare leeks, cut off root end and dark green leaves. For white and light green parts, cut in half lengthwise and then into small strips. Rinse leeks really well to remove the dirt. Peel and quarter the potatoes. Then put them in a bowl of water to prevent potatoes from oxidizing (aka turning brown). Set aside.
- In a medium stockpot, heat butter over medium heat. After butter has melted, add onions. Cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, cook for additional 2 minutes. Then add the leeks, kosher salt and stir. Cover with lid and it cook for 8 minutes.
- Once leeks and onions have softened. Add potatoes to the stockpot. Stir to combine with ingredients. Then, add chicken stock. Bring soup to a simmer. Cover and let cook over medium-low for about 10 minutes.
- Once potatoes and leeks are tender, remove soup from heat. Carefully, puree the soup in a blender using only two ladles at a time. Puree for at least 1 minute per batch.
For Garnish:
- Return pureed soup to sauce pan. Serve immediately. Garnish with chives and sour cream, if desired.
Notes
Adapted from Rouxbe.