K’s Kitchen: Leek and potato soup

By Kathryn Reed

It’s been a while since I subscribed to Bon Appetite magazine. Eventually I didn’t find enough recipes for a vegetarian so I stopped paying the annual subscription.

Ironically, I was sent an offer for a year for what I think was $10. I signed up. I can afford that gamble. Then a few days after that a friend sent me a soup recipe (see below) from the May 1996 Bon Appetite. The food gods must be in alignment.

The recipe actually comes via Epicurious. The tagline to this website is: For People Who Love to Eat. It has a slew of categories ranging from Top Rated Recipes to Holidays to Drinks to International Cooking.

It’s one of those sites that is worth bookmarking. They probably have an app, too, which could come in handy when you’re grocery shopping and nothing sounds goods.

On the recipes online is a button to click to have a grocery list made that can then be printed or emailed. It even offers wine pairings. (Sauvignon Blanc is recommended for the soup below.) Under their preparation notes is a place to add your notes to personalize the recipe.

I doubled the recipe below because I like big bowls of soup, wanted to share it, and wanted to eat it more than just one day. And I’m glad I made so much because it is super good. It tastes like a cream soup but doesn’t have all that fat.

Leek and Potato Soup (Serves 4)

3 T butter

3 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), halved lengthwise, thinly sliced (about 4½ cups)

2 large russet potatoes (about 18 ounces total), peeled, diced

4½ C (or more) chicken stock or canned low-salt broth

2 T chopped fresh chives

Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks; stir to coat with butter. Cover saucepan; cook until leeks are tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add potatoes. Cover and cook until potatoes begin to soften but do not brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add stock. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes.

Puree soup in batches in processor until smooth. Return to saucepan. Thin with additional stock if soup is too thick. Season with salt and pepper.

(Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Bring soup to simmer. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with chives and serve.