Thursday, January 16, 2020

Perfect Potato Leek Soup

'Tis the season on the mountain top for snow....and soup. Lots and lots of steaming bowls of soup, to warm a soul from the inside out. 

Recently, my little mountain top market had some gorgeous leeks on sale, which I snatched up in a hurry, intent on making one of my all time favorite soups....Potato Leek. 

I first sampled Potato Leek soup many moons ago when I was working in a lovely French restaurant in NYC....and I was instantly hooked. It was also one of my dad's favorites, and I decided his birthday would be the perfect time to whip up a batch, in honor of him.

What could be more comforting than a bowl of this creamy satisfying goodness on a cold winter's night? 

Lucky for you I wrote down the recipe, so I could share the most perfect Potato Leek soup with you! 

You will need: 

3 large leeks
1/2 an onion
5 cloves of garlic
7 large yukon gold potatoes
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs of thyme
8 cups chicken broth (I make my own, but you can use pre-made)
1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar
1 cup heavy cream 
1/2 tsp of all purpose seasoning (I use Vermont Country Seasoning)
Salt & pepper to taste
Olive oil
Butter
Sliced green onions and bacon bits for serving (optional but yummy!)

Ok here we go! 

Start by removing the dark green portions of the leeks (keeping the white and light green portions), as well as the opposite end with the roots. Then cut the leeks in half lengthwise, and soak in cold water while you gather the rest of your ingredients. Leeks are buggers for hiding grit and dirt in their layers, so they need a really good washing. 

After soaking, pull apart the layers and rinse each carefully, checking for any remaining grit. 
 

Chop the white and light green portions of the leek, chop the onion, and peel and smash the garlic. 


Heat a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat (I used my favorite pot), and drizzle in a tablespoon of olive oil. Toss in a tablespoon of butter, and saute the leeks, onion, and garlic (stirring frequently), until they begin to soften. 


 Meanwhile, peel the yukon gold potatoes, wash, and cut in thirds. 


When the leek mixture is soft and fragrant, pour in the chicken broth, and carefully add the potatoes. 



Add salt and pepper to taste, and a half teaspoon of all purpose seasoning. I always go heavy on the pepper and light on the salt, and I use Vermont Country Seasoning.


Add in your bay leaves and sprigs of thyme, and give it a good stir.  Raise the heat to high and bring it to a boil. Then cover the pot, lower the heat to low, and walk away. 

I like to cut my potatoes larger and let the soup simmer for longer, to really let the flavors come together. If you are in more of a hurry, just cut the potatoes much smaller so they cook more quickly. 




When the potatoes are very soft, remove the bay leaves and thyme and then blend the soup using an immersion blender (preferred) or in batches in a regular blender. 

If you are using a regular blender, let the soup cool for a bit and then blend it in small batches (no more than half full), removing the center cap to release steam. Cover the hole with a dishtowel, to keep from splattering your entire kitchen. 

If you love homemade soup, an immersion blender is a vital tool. You can get them for a very reasonable price....this is the one I have.  Make sure the blender portion is metal, as the plastic ones will melt when making soups. 


Add in the cream and cheddar, and blend again, tasting and adjusting the seasoning as necessary. 


I love to top mine with chopped green onions or chives and crumbled bacon, and sometimes even a little more cheese. 

Served with some warm bread, this is a perfect meal for a snowy winter's night. It's really quite simple to make, and this recipe made dinner for two, two lunches for the next day, and two quarts of soup for the freezer.

There you have it.....the most Perfect Potato Leek Soup! 

Bon Appetit!

20 comments:

  1. Potato leek soup is one of my faves, too. Your recipe is different than mine though - mine's just a very simple vegan soup. No cream, no cheese. The silkiness and creaminess comes in just pureeing it. Yours also looks and sounds delicious! Perfect comfort food for these cold winter nights.

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    1. I've made it both ways, Melanie....I prefer it with cream and cheese, and since it makes so many servings I don't feel so guilty adding the little bit of cream and cheese!

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  2. I do not think I have ever had Leek. This looks delicious!
    Lisa

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    1. It's really like a mild onion, Lisa

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  3. Can you believe I've never had leeks! This looks delicious though...makes me wish we lived closer. 😉

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    1. For many reasons, my friend!! Leeks are really just mild onions, they are so good in this soup!

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  4. One of my favourite soups - and I agree about the immersion blender! A great tool for soups! -Jenn

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    1. The best, Jenn! I don't know how I survived the first 30 years of my life without one....this is my second in the last 20 years. The first was plastic (a gift) and melted!

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  5. I love potato leek soup! Your recipe sounds wonderful.

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  6. Looks so good. Love soup in the winter months. Happy Friday. Have a great weekend.
    xoxo
    Kris

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    1. Such a simple yet satisfying meal, Kris! I'm fortunate my sweetie is quite happy with just a bowl of soup and bread for dinner - it's nice to keep it simple some nights.

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  7. This looks yummy! Winter is potato soup weather. Do you suppose I could use red potatoes instead of the Yukons? Red potatoes have a lower glycemic index than most others except for sweet potatoes and I don't think sweet potatoes would be a good choice. ha! Stay warm! Hugs for the fur babies!

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    1. I'm sure you could, Donna, you may just have to cook them a bit longer. I always find red potatoes need more time to get really tender.

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  8. You make the best comfort food! You know, I don't think I've ever tasted a leek. How could that be?
    Brenda

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    1. I don't buy them often, Brenda - and I've tried to grow them for three years now with no luck. I'm not sure if our growing season is just too short or what, it's frustrating!

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  9. Ah, I have a great recipe for this too and used to make it more often. Forgot about it for a while! Thanks for the reminder and I might compare the recipes and tweak according to your ingredients too!

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  10. I don't often see leeks for sale up here, Karen Ann, so when I did, I knew I had to make this soup!

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  11. You are great! I am like your blog. When i am cook i will follow your recipe.

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    1. Thank you, I really hope you enjoy it!

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