Description
Potato Leek is one of the earliest soups I remember making and remains one of my favorites. I am still awed by this simple combination of leeks and potatoes that creates a subtle, but delicately flavored soup. I find no need to add cream; though some have added chicken stock in place of water. One hint to creating the most flavor is adding enough salt — it draws out the flavor. So, if it tastes bland, add a bit more until it’s not.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 small to medium onion, diced
- 3 whole leeks, trimmed, cut in half lengthwise, rinsed and sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 6 cups water
- 2 medium potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 to 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Croutons or chopped parsley make a good garnish, if desired
Instructions
- In a soup pot, sauté the onion and leeks in the butter over medium heat until soft, about 10 minutes.
- Add the water, potatoes, parsley, bay leaves, and 1 teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer about 30 minutes or until potatoes are soft.
- Remove the bay leaves. Purée the soup in a blender, in two batches, until creamy and smooth. Return the soup to the soup pot and heat gently. This soup typically needs a fair amount of salt; keep adding salt a bit at a time, tasting as you go, until the leek flavor shines through.
- Add the pepper, and garnish with croutons or chopped parsley if desired.