What's for dinner tonight? It's a chilly, rainy day in early March, so I thought a nice soup would be appropriate. With a salad and a few slices of good bread, maybe some feta cheese to end with, there we are, that should make a nice meal. The leeks are looking good, I have a few nice potatoes left, and I just need to run out and get some parsley and cream. I'll be making leek and potato soup. Be right back... This is going to be a quick trip to the market; the outdoors is looking winter-glum. Although it's March, snow is still piled high on our lawns, and I've started to feel that all our spring greenery will permanently remain underneath a cover of frozen soil. And yet, as I step outside, I look up between the naked branches of the oak tree and with surprise, I discover a hopeful blue colour in the sky. I stare at it with anticipation. Isn't it beautiful?
Dinner is on time. In my home, this is an anomaly. But a sparkling blue sky can bring about changes.
I should next describe how to make leek and potato soup. How about it?
First off, prepare the bouquet garni. Gather bay leaf, thyme, parsley, peppercorns and rosemary. Bind the garni safely between some leek leaves. The garni will bring a wonderful aroma to the soup. Now get to work.
Ingredients:
5 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 onion, finely chopped
4 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
4 leeks, well cleaned and sliced in thin strips. Use only the white and light green part of the leeks.
4 or 5 Yukon gold potatoes, enough to weigh 2 & 1/2 pounds, sliced
4 or 5 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup milk, cream or half and half. I used half and half
salt and pepper to taste
chopped chives
bouquet garni made up of 1 bay leaf, 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary, 5 sprigs fresh thyme, 15-20 peppercorns. Wrap the bouquet with a few tender leek leaves and tie it with kitchen twine. You may need to make separate accommodations for the peppercorns, as they might slide out of the bouquet during cooking. A good option is to tie the peppercorns separately, inside a piece of coffee filter or cheesecloth.
Directions:
- Clean and prepare the leeks for cooking. Cut off the root end and discard the rough green leaves. Save the white and light green part of the leek. Cut it in half lengthwise, and rinse each half several times under cold running water. This method ensures that the soil and sand that has remained between the leaves are washed off. Chop the leeks into thin slices.
- In a stockpot heat the olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, celery, parsley, and leeks. Simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the ingredients become soft. Make sure they are not browned. If necessary add about two tablespoons of water to keep them from browning.
- Add the potatoes, the bouquet garni and the broth. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat. Simmer for about 30 -35 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender. Discard the garni.
- Ladle half the soup out of the stock pan and reserve.
- Using an immersion blender puree the soup remaining in the stock pan.
- Return the reserved portion of soup to the stock pan. The soup will now be a nice mixture of chunky and pureed textures.
- On medium to low heat, warm the soup, then turn off the heat.
- Warm the half and half in the microwave. Slowly and while stirring pour it into the soup.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into soup plates and if desired sprinkle some chopped chives on top.
- Serve while still hot.
