Alice Waters' Leek and Potato Soup
I only recently began making Leek and Potato Soup but have no idea why I waited so long. It’s simple, delicious and comforting…especially during these Corona-Virus quarantine times. I don’t use a lot of dairy when I cook (as you’ve probably noticed), so I skip the crème fraîche or heavy cream in Alice Waters’ The Art of Simple Food recipe below. Instead, I like to purée the soup (although Catherine far prefers it unblended). A good compromise is to blend some but not all of the soup. Either way it is superb. The shot above is just before the water’s been added.
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
2 pounds leeks
3 tablespoons butter (I use olive oil)
2 thyme sprigs (if I don’t have fresh thyme, I throw in a teaspoon of dried thyme)
1 bay leaf
Salt
1 pound yellow potatoes, peeled, halved or quartered, and sliced
6 cups water
1/3 cup crème fraîche or heavy cream (if you like)
Parsley for garnish
Freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
Trim off the root end and the tough upper greens from leeks. Cut the trimmed leeks in half lengthwise and slice thin. Rinse in a bowl of cold water. Lift the leeks out of the water to drain.
Melt butter (or oil) over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed pot.
Add the leeks along with thyme, bay leaf and salt. Cook until soft, about 10 minutes.
Add sliced potatoes and cook for 4 minutes.
Add water (or chicken broth). Bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer. Cook until vegetables are tender, but not falling apart, about 30 minutes.
When done, stir in heavy cream or crème fraîche (if using). Do not boil once the cream is added.
Check seasonings and adjust to taste. Remove bay leaf and thyme before serving. (If you used dried thyme, you won’t need to remove it.)
If you plan to purée the soup, do so now. Garnish with parsley and freshly ground black pepper and serve.
