Leek and Potato Soup
Degree of Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 min
Total Cook Time: 75 min
The wife and I had been jonesing for some Leek and Potato Soup for quite a while now and seeing how we had recently watched an episode of Good Eats on the Food Network devoted entirely to the leek, I thought that I should try to make some at home. Here’s how I did it:
3 leeks – cleaned and sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
3 shallots – sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
3 tbsp butter
3 Yukon gold potatoes – peeled and diced
32 oz chicken stock
8 oz heavy cream
1/4 tsp white pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
Leeks are some of the dirtiest vegetables you can find so you want to be sure to clean them well. First, I chop off any part of the green, leafy end that looks like it needs to be chopped off. Then I slice off the very bottom of the white, root end. Peel off any sorry looking outer layers, if necessary. Next, slice the leek in half, lengthwise, and place in a large pot filled with cold water. Let the leeks sit in the cold water for a few minutes so that they become just a little bit soft. This soaking will help to loosen the dirt that is between each layer of the leek. Run the leeks under some cold water to wash away any remaining dirt, dry the leeks with paper towels, and then slice into 1/4 inch pieces going against the lengthwise cut you made earlier.
In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the leeks and the kosher salt and cook for about 5 minutes. Then add the shallots, turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for another 20-25 minutes. You want the leeks to become nice and tender.
Add the peeled, diced potatoes and the chicken stock and bring to boil, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 40-45 min. You know this step has been completed once the potatoes become very tender.
Next, the soup needs to be pureed. I did this in the blender in 3 batches. Each batch was blended on low for about 20 seconds until it became smooth. Note, you will need another pot to transfer the blended soup to. After all of the soup was pureed, I returned the soup to the low heat, stirred in the heavy cream, white pepper, and just another pinch of salt to taste. That’s it, you can (and should) serve it immediately.
