Potato Leek Soup

I love soup. It is one of the few things that I like about winter. On those cold snowy days in New England, a bowl of homemade soup is just the thing to make you feel all warm and cozy. As I write this, it is only October but the leaves are turning deep reds and brilliant golds and starting to fall to the ground. It is beautiful and also bittersweet because it means that winter is on its way. Well….at least we will have soup.

I have quite a few really good soup recipes to share with you but I really need for you to check this one out. Potato Leek Soup is an easy weekday soup for lunch or a light supper. Only a few ingredients which means inexpensive and not a lot of chopping. I can usually get everything into the pot in about 15 minutes and then it simmers along and ready to serve in about half an hour.

This simple but flavorful potato soup is a pureed soup. Kind of on the idea of a tomato soup. You can easily adjust the thickness of the soup with the amount of potato. This recipe calls for 3 potatoes but feel free to add another one if you are looking for a heartier consistency.

Topping the soup off with some fresh chives is essential. The chives really bring the flavors together. Serve it with a good crusty bread or if you’re feeling slightly more ambitious, serve the soup with Cheddar Cheese Toasts. Those babies put this simple supper right over the top.

Potato Leek Soup

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Potato Leek Soup

Author Cakewalk Kitchen

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons - butter
• 2 tablespoons - olive oil
• 2 large leeks or 3 small leeks
• 3 russet potatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon - dried thyme
• 6 cups of chicken stock
• kosher salt
• black pepper
• fresh chives
• sour cream - optional

Instructions

1. Trim off the top and bottom of each leek so you just have just the white and light green part left. Cut each leek in half and then in half again. Then cut across into 1/4 inch pieces. Rinse the chopped leeks off in a colander and set aside.
2. Peel the potatoes and then cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Set aside.
3. Melt the butter along with the olive oil in a medium size stock pot. Add in the chopped leeks and cook until soft adding more olive oil if needed. About 3 or 4 minutes. Do not let them burn.
4. Add in the potatoes and the thyme to the pot and stir for about another minute.
5. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer the soup for about 25 minutes. The potatoes should be soft and cooked through.
6. Turn off the heat and with an emulsion blender, puree the soup until just blended into a puree.*
7. Add in the kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon at a time. Taste after each addition. You will need salt for this recipe to bring out the flavors!!

8. Add a few grinds of black pepper. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and some chopped chives sprinkled on top.

Recipe Notes

• You can add in 1/2 cup of heavy cream if you want the soup to be creamier.
• If you do not own an immersion blender, you can use a blender. Let the soup cool for 10 minutes then carefully ladle small batches of the soup into the blender. Do not cover the top of the blender completely, leave a little opening. Be careful blending hot liquids!! This soup also makes a good first course when entertaining.