Potato Leek Soup

I have a few thoughts for you tonight--sorry this is so long

I always grocery shop in the same store. I don't know why, maybe its comfort, and I know each and every aisle so I can be quick. Recently My sweet Mia and I ventured into another local grocery store and it was GLORIOUS--Ok not glorious but pretty darn cool. I found some things that I always looked for in my store but they just never carried. I got a tube of tomato paste so that I can use a Tbsp. at a time and not have to chuck out the rest of the can. Mild Rotel which I prefer to the original because its less spicy. And FLAT OUT whole wheat wraps that are full of fiber and are barely any calories. I might have to step out of my comfort zone more often.

This is the first of many soup and sandwich combos. I make them a lot for lunch and dinner. I didnt post the wrap recipe because well.....I didnt like it and why waste the space. But keep reading to check out the soup!


Have I told you I love soup. All kinds. I could eat soup even when its 100 degrees outside. So naturally once the chillier weather hits I can get the rest of the family on board with my soup obsession too. It is very rare that I don’t make at least 1 pot a soup a week so if you are also a soup lover check in often, you are going to be very happy with the new batch of recipes. This is one I found in the spring. I had never made it before and was always scared of Leeks. Now if you have never worked with Leeks before I need to tell you a few things, if you have skip this part and just start cooking.
Ok, now Leeks…..ARE FILTHY. They pile dirt on them to make them grow better. Because of this they have sand all through out them. When you take them out and put them on the counter, your counter will have sand on it. You will find sand on your knife, in your sink, on the floor. Its crazy what these little buggers do. I have found some good tips to cut down on the mess and speed up their cleaning.

I never take them off the plastic bag when I am cutting them so the initial dirt goes right onto the bag and not on the clean cutting board. I cut them into quarters and then put them into my salad spinner. Any colander in bowl will do. Then I soak them in water, separating all the layers like an onion. The more you can split them the more you know there is no dirt hiding. I do this once or twice until the water on the bottom runs clean. I like to use the salad spinner because the bowl is clear so its really easy to see the dirt on the bottom. Then if you need to dry them they are already in there. For this recipe it doesn’t really matter if they are wet or not. Don’t be scared if you never cooked with them before. Once you figure out how to clean them it’s easy breezy, and quite delicious.

This soup can be served cold or warm.

Potato Leek Soup
from Martha Stewart Everyday Foods
*6 medium leeks, (about 2 1/4 pounds), whites only, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise, cleaned **(I only had about 4)**
*2 cans (14.5 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
*1 (8 ounces) baking potato, peeled and diced **(I used 2 because I used less leek)**
Coarse salt
*3/4 cup heavy cream **(I used ½ cup milk ¼ cream)**
*1/2 cup snipped fresh chives--I didn't use these

In a large saucepan, combine leeks, broth, potato, 2 cups water, and 1 teaspoon coarse salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until vegetables are very tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
Working in batches, puree soup in blender, transferring it to a clean bowl as you work. (To prevent splattering, fill blender only halfway, and allow heat to escape: Remove cap from hole in lid, and cover lid firmly with a dish towel.) OR Buy the handy hand blender I told you about before so that you just turn it on and it literally takes 30 seconds and no clean up to puree your soups. Stir cream into pureed soup, and season with salt.
Cover loosely with plastic wrap, and chill until cold, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days. If necessary, thin with water, and season with salt. Serve soup in chilled glasses, garnished with chives.

VERDICT
Well obviously I like this soup because I have made it before. Even with all my adjustments it was really great. I finished the last of it 2 days later and I was sad when it was gone. If you don't have a hand blender you need one, cuts down on the work load and makes this soup really fast and easy.