Potato Leek Soup Recipe
Potato Leek soup is a very Irish dish, with two staple Irish vegetables making up the majority of the ingredients. And what a blessing a big pot of it can be on a cold day! The potato makes it hearty and filling, and the leeks give it a delicious fresh bite that brings excellent flavor. Add some cream and you have a wonderfully smooth, rich soup that will fill you and warm you for hours. This soup will stand alone to make a full meal, but it can also make a wonderful appetizer with sandwiches, meat, or any manner of main dishes that need a little filling out.
Potato Leek soup is a wonderful base for all sorts of different soups, since it provides such a hearty, creamy soup. Feel free to experiment! This recipe is vegetarian.
Potato Leek Soup Recipe
serves at least five to seven
Ingredients:
- 1 yellow or sweet onion
- 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 large leeks
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/3 teaspoon crushed thyme
- 1/3 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
- 10 medium-sized potatoes (fill two quarts when diced)
- 1 1/2 cup white wine
- water to cover the potatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 pint half and half
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Preparation instructions:
1). Wash and peel the potatoes, then set them aside.
2). Skin the onion and dice it. Put it in a gallon-sized soup pot with the olive oil over medium heat. Stir frequently.
3). Meanwhile, wash the leeks and chop them up in 1/4 inch slices, greens and all, removing the root end. Finely mince the rosemary.
4). When the onions have become translucent, add the leeks, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary. Let cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently.
5). Meanwhile, dice up the potatoes and add them to the pot when the leeks are soft. Add the white wine and then add water until the liquid level is up to the top of the potatoes. Add the teaspoon of salt and then bring it all to a boil.
6). Turn down the heat until the soup is at a steady simmer, cover it, and let it cook for about an hour. You want the soup to reach a consistency where the potatoes are falling apart and forming a thick and creamy base. Once this happens, add the half and half, add the pepper to taste, and serve with a little chopped fresh rosemary as a garnish. Enjoy!