Potato Leek Soup ala Julia Child

My energy level is back to normal, thankfully.  I picked a gallon of blackberries, made some fabulous meat balls and am finishing up Potato Leek Soup.  I had a version of this soup a few weeks back at Sweetwaters at the Valley River Inn and it was so tasty I decided to make some. 

That I'm growing leeks is an added bonus. 

My little darling and the baby will be here for a visit soon so I'm ramping up the cooking.  My big darling also benefits.

I used half chicken broth and half water today not being a fan of vegetable broth.  Creme fraiche is not readily available at the Yoncalla grocery, so we're going without.   An immersion blender is a handy tool.
Going to use dill weed on my next bowl.  Doesn't that sound great?



Ingredients

2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed oil
4 to 5 medium russet potatoes (1 pound), peeled and roughly chopped
3 large leeks (1 pound), cleaned and thinly sliced
6 cups vegetable stock (or light chicken stock)
Kosher salt, to taste
1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup crème fraiche
1/3 cup minced parsley or chives

Directions

  1. Heat the oil in a large (6-plus quart) stockpot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the leek and potato. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have begun to soften and brown slightly, about 8 to 12 minutes (this time will vary greatly depending on the surface area of the bottom of your pot).
  2. Add the vegetable stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
  3. Blend until smooth, either using an immersion blender or by carefully transferring to a blender in batches.
  4. Add the cream, and season to taste with salt (I start with 1 teaspoon and go from there, tasting frequently) and lemon juice.
  5. Ladle into bowls, and garnish with a dollop of crème fraiche and a healthy sprinkling of minced parsley.

Yield
6 servings

Comments

Stephanie said…
This soup for breakfast, dusted with fresh dill weed, is sooooo good. I'm thinking about adding some diced bacon for my next meal. Bacon, dill, leek and potato soup. Molto Bene.
Mon Sep 01, 09:48:00 AM
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