About the Recipe
Whenever the weather gets cooler, I start craving the comfort of soups. And there's nothing better to make soups with than hearty fall vegetables. As much as I do love chunky soups, nothing beats the smooth rich texture of a good potage. Eat it alone or with a side of crunchy baguette, you'll be instantly soothed and warmed to the bone.
One of my favorites is a good thick leek and potato soup. I have added carrots to this one, as I had a few stragglers in my fridge that were begging to be used. I have also added coriander or ginger in the past and it is delicious. But for simplicity sake, I kept the ingredients in this one to a minimum. I find the carrots work really well adding a touch of color and sweetness to the classic.
This soup is super simple to make. Just chop and boil a few veggies, but also super flavorful. Not many spices needed. I love how the flavors just work on their own.
If you want to make it creamier, you can always add a touch of milk or cream after you have blended your veggies. But I personally like to leave it as is and add a swirl of cream when serving for the extra visual.
Ingredients
2 leeks
2 large potatoes (Russet or Yukon gold)
3 medium carrots
2 garlic cloves
6 cups vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
2 Tbsp. butter
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
First thing is first, prep the veg. Trim the ends of the leeks and wash. (Make sure to wash through all the layers as leeks are notorious for hiding little unwanted surprises between the layers). Thinly slice. Peel and cube the potatoes. (I used Russet this time around, but Yukon Gold work great too). Peel and thinly slice carrots. Mince garlic (or press with garlic press).
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and the garlic. Cook and stir until fragrant and leeks begin to soften (3-5 mins). Add carrots and potatoes.
Pour in vegetable broth and add bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until vegetables are cooked or until you can easily poke with a fork.
Once cooked. Remove from heat and let cool. Add to blender and blend until smooth reserving the saucepan. If too thick you can add some water until you reach your desired consistency.
Return to the reserved saucepan and reheat to your desired temperature and season with more salt and pepper to taste.
Serve as is or with a splash of cream for a creamier flavor.
