Ready for Devouring
I know what you’re thinking. This crazy woman lives in Miami. What the “H” is she doing making soup in June in Miami!?!?!?! Has all that new hair-coveringbeen constricting the common sense the good Lord gave her!? Well no. Here’s the thing. Folks in South Florida (and the majority of the South) over air condition their environments during the summer. I mean I do not leave the house without a sweater or hoodie of some sort because guaranteed, when I leave my house, whatever my destination is it will be completely freezing for the entirety of my stay at said destination. Even though I was born and raised in air-conditioned Hotlanta, I am just not used to all this AC. And then, as fate would have it, a giant box of organic fruits of vegetables came into my possession. I thought I was inquiring about a CSA share but as it turns out, I was buying into an organic shoppers club and 5 minutes after my inquiry I was walking away with a giant box of fruits and veggies. Inside that giant box were two leeks.
Leek
At the time, I must confess, I had no idea what they were. Heck, the guy who I bought the box from told me it was celery root. But, as it turns out, it was leek! And wouldn’t you know it, my husband has randomly been craving potato leek soup so with a combination of the cravings of a husband, the surprise of leeks and the onset of a cold due to an intense use of AC, I made a pot of potato leek soup. But not just any potato leek soup, I made the best pot of soup we have ever eaten. I mean, it was delicious. So, it may be summer but I’m telling you, if you come in contact with a leek, grab some potatoes and a giant pot and get cooking!
What?!
I ended up halving the recipe and we still had leftovers so the recipe below will serve 4. This is a very hearty soup. My recommendation is to serve with a nice arugula salad with some parmesan shavings and a nice lemon/olive oil dressing.
- 2 potatoes, peeled and cut into roughly chopped pieces
- 3 leeks, whites only, thoroughly washed
- 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
- 1/2 medium onion, peeled and quartered
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 quarts vegetable stock
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 ounces (1/2 stick) melted butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
- Salt and pepper
- Shaved parmasen for serving
- Chopped green onions for serving
Before the Blending
How?
In a large pot, place potatoes, 2 of the leeks (reserving the rest), celery, regular onion, bay leaf and chicken stock and bring to a boil, about 15-20 minutes. Continue to boil until potatoes are very soft. Whisk flour and butter in small bowl with a fork to make a roux for thickening the soup. Add the remaining leeks, roux, cream, fresh thyme, and salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf. Using an immersion blender (or in batches in a blender or food processor), blend soup until smooth. Pour into a medium pot and simmer for 5 – 8 more minutes until soup has thickened. Serve with parmasen and green onion on top.
