Potato Leek Soup
Time: 2+ hours | Difficulty: 3/5 | Recommendation: A slow Monday or Tuesday dinner
Sundays in winter are for stirring and simmering and sipping on some SOUP. Also, did you know you can make your own croutons just by chopping up some bread and roasting in olive oil?! I used brioche and added garlic powder and salt and WOW what a game changer!! I think this recipe the best out of all the potato leek soups I’ve made so far. So here it is, in all its liquid glory!! NB: the recipe below makes 4 servings for one person (because what’s the point of making soup if you’re not going to make yourself leftovers?)
Ingredients/Tools:
4 starchy potatoes (russets or Yukon gold), roughly chopped
2 medium leeks (or one huge one), washed well and chopped
Half a white onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves
Dijon mustard
White wine
3 cups of chicken or vegetable stock (optional, can replace with water)
Cream
Spices/herbs: Dried oregano, dried basil, cumin, coriander, turmeric, chili flakes
Brioche for croutons (or any type of bread—brioche makes it light and buttery)
A big huge pot
A blender or, ideally, an immersion blender
Method:
Heat a good amount of butter and some olive oil in a big huge pot, and add the onion and garlic. Add dried oregano, dried basil, and chili flakes.
When the onions are translucent, add the leeks and stir well, then add the potatoes and salt and pepper. Mix well and let it all cook down, stirring occasionally. Add cumin, coriander, and a pinch of turmeric. Cook everything down for as long as you’d like, but at least 10-15 minutes—the longer you cook it, the deeper the flavor.
Add a spoonful of Dijon mustard and mix. Then add some white wine to deglaze, and scrape all the browned goodness off the bottom of the pot. Cook out the wine a bit longer.
Add in the stock (or water is fine if you’ve seasoned enough!) and cover and simmer for at least a half hour.
When it looks all bubbly and smells nice, remove the from the heat and blend the soup with the immersion blender (be careful not to hit the bottom or sides of the pot!). Then put the pot back on the stove, and add in some cream to lighten it a bit, about a quarter cup. Add a tablespoon or so of sugar, and any more salt, pepper, etc. to taste.
For the breadcrumbs: Chop a piece of brioche, toss in a pan with olive oil, salt, and garlic powder, and put it in the oven at 350° until they’ve browned.
Last step, enjoy your soup!!!!