Potato Leek Soup
(Serves 4 and a little more)
Ingredients
4 leeks (approx 1 lb) – rinsed and diced
5 small – med Yukon gold potatoes (approx 1.3 lbs) – washed and cubed (I’m too lazy to remove the skins)
1 shallot, minced
2-3 cloves garlic – minced
2 pinches of kosher salt
black pepper to taste
½ – ¾ teas. All purpose seasoning (it’s what I had on hand in the cupboard)
4 cups of vegetable stock/broth or water (if using water, I use a veggie powder seasoning/broth such as Seitenbacher to add to the water, 1 teaspoon per cup of water)
1 tablespoon E.V. olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter (or omit butter and add an additional tablespoon of olive oil
Optional: ½ cup cream or milk or soy milk or soy creamer and freshly grated nutmeg in the pot
OR a dollop of crème fraiche and sprinkle of fresh grated nutmeg o each individual serving. (Don’t ask me what a dollop is, I just take a teaspoon, scoop up a spoonful and plop it in the center of soup)
In a large pot (5 1/2 qt pot), place olive oil and butter over low to med heat. When butter is melted and beginning to bubble, add shallots and garlic and sauté’ (or sweat) until shallots appear transparent (about 2-3 minutes).
Add to pot diced leeks and kosher salt, sauté another 3 minutes with pepper and seasoning. Add cubed potatoes and broth (or water and powdered veggie broth) and stir to combine.
Cover pot and reduce to low heat for 30 – 45 minutes until leeks and potatoes are tender.
Here’s where the fun begins: remove from heat and place pot on secure surface that can accommodate a hot pot. Sometimes the sink is best. Using a stick hand blender, puree soup (being careful not to splash the hot soup) until smooth. It’s fine to leave a few chunks here and there.
**If you don’t have a stick hand blender, you will need to wait until soup cools to puree in a blender or food processor. DO NOT use blender when soup is hot – the lid will fly off the top sending hot soup everywhere!!**
Optional: add cream/milk/soy milk and fresh nutmeg and stir OR a dollop of crème fraiche and nutmeg to each individual serving.
Kitchen Tips:
Leeks are sandy little buggers and can be difficult to clean. The best way I found (which may be a suggestion I took from Martha Stewart or Alton Brown)… Leaving the root end intact, slice the leek length-wise into quarters being careful not to cut through the root (start slicing at least 1” from the root end). This allows you to spread the leaves apart and wash the dirt/sand from in between the leaves. When completely rinsed, you can cut off the root end and slice each leek and set aside in a bowl until ready to use.
My favorite pot for cooking soups, stews and sauces is a Le Creuset
5 1/2 qt dutch oven (enameled cast-iron).
A stick hand blender is an invaluable tool in the kitchen. I’m not much into gadgets but a good one is worth every penny.
