Prep Time 20min Cook Time 30min
This soup is so simple and so good, there's not even that much to add here in the introductory note, though I will mention that I usually use boxed chicken broth but instead made it this time with vegetarian bouillon. You could, though, use plain water and up the salt a bit to compensate.
by Catherine Newman
What you'll need
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 leeks, white and light-to-medium green parts, halved lengthwise, sliced into thin half moons, and washed well in a colander
- 1 1/2 pounds potatoes (ideally Yukon golds), peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
- Kosher salt
- 4 cups broth, water, or a mix of broth and water
- 1/2 cup milk
- Chives for garnish (optional, of course)
Notes:
Serves 4
How to make it
- Melt the butter in a soup pot over medium-low heat, add the leeks, and stir them as they begin to cook. Ideally they'll have some water still clinging to them: they'll kind of steam and sauté simultaneously, and you can cover the pot to let them get tender (around 10 minutes), stirring occasionally while you prep the potatoes.
- Now add the potatoes, the broth or water, and some amount of salt (depending on how salty the broth is). Bring the coup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for half an hour until the potatoes are very tender.
- Puree some or all of the soup, using an immersion blender or a regular blender (I use an immersion blender and puree about half of it, since I like to leave some chunks of potato). Stir in the milk and taste the soup for salt: given its great simplicity, it is really important that this soup has enough salt; if it tastes like it's missing something, it is, and what it's missing is more salt.
- Garnish with chives (if you like) and serve.
