Potato Leek Soup

I first made Potato Leek Soup this past February when we were living in Maryland. It was a bitter cold evening. I was six months pregnant and I was craving something warm and comforting for dinner. I had just purchased some leeks when I was out grocery shopping earlier that afternoon and when I got home I started looking up ways I could use them. I found this recipe and it looked so delicious! When Mike got home from work there was a big bowl of this soup with a large piece of bread waiting for him. We ate it at our large table in our tiny dining room and enjoyed every bite- we could not wait to fill our bowls with a second helping!

We have been missing Maryland so much lately. It was truly one of our favorite times in life. We call it our long honeymoon because we moved there a week after our wedding and returned to Mike’s home town in Western New York ten months later. That time together strengthened our love and marriage, and we still draw strength from our time there each day. Over the past few weeks we have been finding ourselves recreating meals that remind of us our time in Maryland. I made this Potato Leek Soup last week with Maryland (and Mike!) in mind.

This recipe calls for a bouquet garni, a bundle of herbs. In this recipe I wrap mine in a small piece of cheesecloth tied with kitchen twine, but if you don’t have that on hand a coffee filter and twist tie work well, too. Most traditional potato leek soups are puréed but this one is unique in that both the potatoes and the leeks are left chunky, really making this recipe a hearty one. Stir in some fresh cream at the end if you would like, serve with a side of homemade bread, or garnish with some fresh herbs. Whatever you do, make it your own – the possibilities are endless!

Potato Leek Soup
Serves 4
For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons good quality olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large leeks, light green and white parts only, cleaned and thinly chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 shallots, minced
2 bay leaves
3-5 celery leaves
3 sprigs fresh parsley
3 sprigs fresh sage
8 cups vegetable stock, preferably homemade
2 tablespoons kosher salt, more to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons black pepper, freshly ground
6 medium potatoes, quartered and thinly sliced

Preparation

1. Prepare your bouquet garni. Place bay leaves, celery leaves, parsley and sage in the middle of a small piece of cheesecloth. Bundle herbs and tie ends of cheesecloth together with cooking twine, set aside.
2. Heat the olive oil and butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add chopped leeks and stir frequently, cooking until golden-brown, about fifteen minutes. Stir in minced garlic and shallots and cook for another minute.
3. Pour in vegetable stock. Place bouquet garni in soup pot, add salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, and sliced potatoes. Stir soup for thirty seconds.
4. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat to low and allow soup to simmer for forty-five minutes, until potatoes are very tender.
5. Taste soup and season as desired. Ladle into bowls, drizzle with cream, or garnish with fresh herbs. Enjoy!

– C