Potato Leek Soup

Winter is a good time for soups.  At least they say it is winter; today is a balmy 50 degrees.  Not that I'm complaining, I just have a nagging feeling that the late arrival of winter means snow until May.  Let's hope that is not the case. 

This soup was literally, and I mean literally literally, on every menu in Scotland.  This recipe for potato leek soup tastes different than the soups we had there, but it is every bit as good, and perfect for a winter's day.  I've become somewhat of a vegetarian since I've had a bun in the oven, mainly because the smell of meat cooking really does me in.  (Don't worry, dare I say I feel that I'm starting to turn a corner.  Please God, please God, please God let me turn this nausea corner.)  Nausea aside, this is a great vegetarian recipe since it really sticks to your ribs, you won't miss the meat at all!

This is based on a recipe from Ina Garten's Back to Basics cookbook.  I think what makes it different from the soups in Scotland is that the vegetables are roasted which give it an almost smoky taste. 

2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks

4 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts, cleaned of all sand (4 leeks)

1/4 cup olive oil

salt and pepper

1/2 cup dry white wine, plus extra for serving

6 to 7 cups chicken stock

3/4 cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine the potatoes and leeks on a sheet pan in a single layer. Add the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss to coat the vegetables evenly. Roast for 40 minutes, turning them with a spatula a few times during cooking, until very tender. Remove the pan from the oven and place over 2 burners. Stir in the wine and 1 cup of the chicken stock and cook over low heat, scraping up any crispy roasted bits sticking to the pan.

If you have an immersion blender like me, (and if you don't, you should.  They are pretty affordable and a real time saver in the kitchen.)  pour the vegetables and pan liquid into a large pot and blend with the immersion blender.  Add stock as needed to get a more soupy consistency.  Add cream, salt and pepper and continue blending until the desired puree is achieved. 

To use a blender:  In batches, transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor fitted with the steel blade, adding the pan liquid and about 5 cups of the chicken stock to make a puree. Pour the puree into a large pot or Dutch oven. Continue to puree the vegetables in batches until they're all done and combined in the large pot. Add enough of the remaining 1 to 2 cups of stock to make a thick soup. Add the cream, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and check the seasonings.