Potato-Leek Soup

Potato-Leek Soup. - Картофель и лук-порей суп

I really love this soup, and I had more than a couple comments about it from my girlfriend. I usually enjoy all kinds of soups but sometimes I like soups with a little more thickness to them than the standard broth-inspired fare. 

When I was growing up, I was a huge fan of clam chowder, which was quite strange since I absolutely hated any type of fish, including shellfish (how foolish I was). I was also a big fan of split pea soup due to it's heartiness. This love of great soup has been following me my whole life, and has become a particular area of interest in my own culinary adventures. 

Today, I'd like to introduce you to my very simple, quick and easy Potato Leek Soup. It requires very little preparation and under 30 minutes cooking time.

First let's go over the ingredients you are going to need:

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 medium russet (baking) potatoes

2 medium leeks, white and light-green parts

6 cups of chicken stock.

chives for garnish (optional)

That's it! The flavor all comes from the preparation method and of course the quality of ingredients you are using. I personally love making my own chicken stock which produces a really rich quality to this soup but you could use store-bought chicken stock, or even just water but the chicken stock will really add depth to the final soup.

First, lets start off with our leeks. Start by peeling off the outermost layer of the leek. This will get rid of a lot of the environmental damage and contaminants that have potentially come into contact with your produce. Trim off the bottom root end and top greens leaving just the white and light-green parts of the leek. The older darker-green ends of the leek taste bitter and conflicts with the other flavors we are creating in our soup. 

Next, cut the leeks in half lengthwise and lay them flat-side down on the cutting board next to each other so you can slice them into approximately 1/8 in (3mm) pieces.

Once you have them all sliced up you should have a nice little pile ready to become soup.

Using a medium-sized pot, heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil until it starts to shimmer. Be careful not to overheat the oil. Olive oil has a low burning point and we don't want that flavor overpowering other flavors in our soup.

Add the leeks and 2 pinches of kosher salt to the pot and sweat the leeks approximately 5 minutes, stirring constantly. You don't want the leeks to caramelize or brown at all, we just want them to get soft and bring out the sweetness hiding inside.

Your leeks should be good and soft but not burned. Next, we need to add the potatoes and the chicken stock. Peel 2 russet potatoes and chop them into approximately 1 inch (2.5cm) cubes. It doesn't matter which goes in first, but if you add the potatoes first, you will avoid some splashing.

Make sure you add enough stock to cover the potato and leek mixture by about 2 inches (5cm).

Here's the really simple part. Simmer everything for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes fall apart when you poke them with a fork. If you see any white scum form on the top while it's simmering, remove the scum with a slotted spoon. The scum definitely does not add any good flavors to our soup. And if it's not adding good flavors, get rid of it!

Next is the fun part. POWER TOOLS!! Even though I try to take a minimalist approach to what I absolutely need in the kitchen since I travel so much, a stick blender is definitely on the list. It comes in handy for many things such as combining healthy soups like this, making very flavorsome berry shakes, or even just making a few waves for your favorite pet goldfish to enjoy. OK, maybe not for goldfish surfing.

Break out the stick (submersion) blender and start mixing. Be aware that if you go crazy, HOT soup will splatter and burn you. Start cautiously with the blender completely submerged and start moving in small circles, tilting the angle just slightly so the liquid starts moving. You may want to keep a lid nearby to shield yourself if you have problems controlling the splatter.

Be sure to blend the soup until it is completely combined, about 3 minutes. What you end up with is a very creamy soup without ANY butter or cream. Ladle the soup into soup bowls, top with salt and pepper to taste and a couple chopped chives. I like keeping this as a very healthy soup but if you are looking to raise it to the next level, try topping it with some crumbled bacon.

The flavor is amazing, and you'll have a craving for more. (I had to make it 2 days in a row to satisfy our cravings). This soup is very simple, healthy, economical, and absolutely flavorful! Even if you have never made soup before, this one will impress the people who are lucky enough to taste it. You don't have to tell them how easy it was, just smile and enjoy the American Flavors.