Ingredients
Potato Leek Soup Recipe
Enough for 6 generous servings
INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons butter, plus more if needed (or desired)
2-3 large leeks (1 pound), cleaned, trimmed and thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped onion (optional)
2 lbs potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
6 cups vegetable stock (or light chicken stock)
1 1/2 teaspoons (each) top quality salt and pepper, plus more to taste
1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup minced parsley or chives
1/2 cup heavy cream (or light cream)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar (optional)
Optional Herbs
Best added with the leeks:
- 1-4 cloves of crushed garlic, or 1-4 teaspoons of dried garlic
Best added with the broth:
- Pinch of dried marjoram
- 2"-4" of fresh thyme sprigs, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
METHOD:
1. Melt the butter in a large stockpot over medium heat, add leeks and onions (optional) and cook
for 2-3 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook until veggies have started to soften, about 10 min
more.
2. Turn the heat up to 3/4 (or more) and add the stock, Optional herbs and inital amount of salt &
pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for at least half an hour.
3. Discard fresh herbs. Using a blender (immersion or stand-alone) blend between half and all of
the soup, depending on your desired consistancy. If the potatoes are giving you trouble, start with
a potato masher, then move to the blender.
4. Add the parsley (or chives), lemon juice, and stir. If freezing some of your soup, now is the best
time to pull out and cool the amount to be frozen. If freezing, adjust the remaining ingredients
from here to match the % of your soup that is left in the pot.
5. Add the cream (and/or cheese, if using), stir to evenly blend, and taste. Season with salt as needed,
just a little (about 1 tsp) at a time, stirring to blend between each addition. Taste frequently. Top
and serve when seasoned to your taste.
Excellent toppings
- crème fraiche
- shredded cheddar cheese
- crumbled cooked bacon
- fresh snipped chives
- garlic-Parmesan croutons
Tips:
- Butter can be substitued for a neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed oil... but why would you
take out the butter?
- Yukon Gold potatoes won't get mushy like russet potatoes will when boiling them.
- Use russet potatoes if you want a thicker soup and mash them when they are tender.
- Rinse the leeks in a bowl of cold water so to remove any sand, remove the leeks and wring dry in
towels.
- Keep the cubed potatoes in a bowl of cold water till needed.
- Always turn off the heat before stirring in the cheese so that the cheese won't separate.
