Potato leek soup

They say a picture is worth a thousand words but the photo of this cream soup in a bowl simply doesn’t do it justice. It looks plain and pale yet it tastes incredibly good.

This is my version of the classic French vichyssoise soup; it’s typically made with both chicken stock and cream, so I modified it to be a kosher dairy soup.

Vichyssoise is traditionally served cold; I serve it that way in the warmer months but I enjoy it even more when it’s warm. The flavor is subtle and family-friendly.

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Ingredients
(Serves 6)
6 cups sliced leeks
1 cup diced onion
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups water
2 tablespoons pareve chicken consommé powder
4 large Yukon gold potatoes, about 2 pounds, peeled and cut into chunks
1 ½ cups heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional spice: pinch of nutmeg
Optional garnish: chives or parsley

Leeks vary widely in size so it’s hard to say how many you will need for the recipe — 4 or 5 large leeks should be more than enough. When I have extra, I just sauté them all then remove them from the pot before adding the other ingredients for the soup. You can freeze the extra leeks to have on hand; they’re excellent in quiche or in leek fritters (edjeh).

Cleaning the leeks of all sandy dirt is the most important task in this recipe. Remove the outer layers and wash off any obvious dirt. Cut off the dark green tops — you can clean those as well and make a vegetable broth if you like. Many recipes suggest using only the white part, but I’ve not had any issues using the light, spring green middle part of the leek as well.

Slice off the bottom end and cut each leek in half lengthwise, then soak them in a pot of cool water for about 15 minutes. Any sandy dirt should fall to the bottom of the pot.

Cut the leeks into thin slices. Put them in a colander and rinse them again.

Start with a large pot over medium-low heat and add the butter and onion. Sauté for 5 minutes before adding the leeks to the pot.

Cook the leeks, stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes or until they are soft and tender. Reduce the heat if necessary to keep the butter from burning.

While the leeks are cooking, prepare the potatoes. Add the potatoes, water and consommé powder to the pot. The consommé may be salty, so don’t add extra salt at this point.

Raise the heat to medium until the liquid is gently bubbling, then reduce the heat to medium-low.

Cover the pot and simmer for about a half-hour or until the potatoes are tender.

Add one cup of cream to the pot, cover and let cook for another 10 minutes.

Remove the pot from heat and puree the soup while it’s hot. You can use an immersion blender or a large blender that can handle hot liquids; either way, make sure the soup is smooth and free of any lumps.

Put the pot back on the stove over a low flame.

Since I’m already knee deep in heavy cream and butter, I stir in an extra half-cup of cream and allow it to cook for another 5 minutes.

Add salt and pepper to taste. White pepper will not be visible in the soup but you can use fine ground black pepper if you don’t have white pepper. You can add a pinch of nutmeg if you choose. If you’re unsure about the nutmeg, take a ladle’s worth out and stir in a tiny bit of nutmeg to see if you like it before adding it to the pot.

This soup is traditionally garnished with fresh chives but I don’t think it needs them for flavor; they just add a little color for the sake of presentation. A pinch of finely chopped parsley also does the trick if you want a bit of contrast.

Serve this hot or allow the pot to cool completely before refrigerating. It rewarms nicely but must be heated over a low flame to keep the mixture from scorching on the bottom of the pot.
This soup is excellent served with quiche or a fish meal. Enjoy and bless your hands! PJC

Jessica Grann is a home chef living in Pittsburgh.