Rustic Potato-Leek Soup

Leek rhymes with eek and that's just fine with me.

Because I'm "eek"-ing with glee from the loads of mild, sweet leek and hearty potatoes in the most wonderful and comforting bowl of soup.

It really is a "rustic" soup. Good with bread. Good without bread.

Flavorful, healthy, savory.

:D

Leeks are those huge, thick cousins of green onions that you overlook in the produce aisle...because they're just weird and you don't know when you would ever use them.

I was just like you once, yes I was- until I came across this recipe in my favorite cookbook.

Leeks smell a little like green onions, but they're milder in flavor. When cooked (with butter, in our case), leeks have this smooth, aromatic flavor that pairs perfectly with red potatoes.

They need to be cleaned and rinsed thoroughly before cooking. I find that it's easier to make a slight cut down the middle and peel the layers before placing them under running water.

Cut in half lengthwise, then chop, chop, chop!

I cut my potatoes a little smaller than the directions indicate. 1/3-in cubes were good for me.

What you should see when cooking them in butter. Occasionally taste to make sure that the leeks are tender, but not mushy.

 Rustic Potato-Leek Soup

*makes about 4 servings*

Ingredients:

- 2 large leeks, rinsed
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 (14 oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- About 6 small-medium red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/3 inch dice (about 2 1/2 cups)
- Salt and ground black pepper


Directions:

1. Cut off the roots and tough dark green portion of the leeks, leaving the white portion and about 3 inches of the light green portion. Slice the leeks in half lengthwise and chop into 1-inch pieces (You should have about 8 cups)

2. Heat the butter in a large stockpot over medium-low heat until foaming. Stir in the leeks, increase the heat to medium, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are tender but not mushy, 15-20 minutes. Do not brown the leeks. Sprinkle the flour over the leeks and stir to coat evenly. Cook until the flour dissolves, about 2 minutes.

3. Increase the heat to high; whisking constantly, gradually add the broth. Add the bay leaf and potatoes, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are almost tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let stand, covered, until the potatoes are tender and the flavors meld, 10 to 15 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Source: Adapted from The New Best Recipe