Soup Season - Part 2: Roasted Potato Leek Soup

Roasted Potato Leek Soup
(Ina Garten's Recipe, Just a Little Better)

I love soups that use vegetables as the main ingredient.  They are healthy and really filling.  This soup uses creamy Yukon Gold potatoes (well, and a little cream) to make it super decadent.  We planned to eat this as a first course with our friends Margo & Josh, but it was so filling we ended up eating just one delicious course!

Time: 1 plus 1/4 hours
Serves: 6-8

 

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
• 4 cups leeks, chopped & cleaned of all sand
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 6 to 7 cups chicken stock
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces creme fraiche (a French dairy item, like sour cream)
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnish

 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine the potatoes and leeks on a sheet pan in a single layer. Add the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss to coat the vegetables evenly. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, turning them with a spatula a few times during cooking, until very tender.
3. In batches, transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor fitted with the steel blade, adding half of the chicken stock to each to make a puree. In the last batch, add the parsley in to be combined in the puree. Continue to puree the vegetables in batches until they're all done.
4. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt butter and add chopped garlic until combined, just about 2-3 minutes. Add the puree to the garlic butter and turn heat to medium-high.
5. Add white wine and enough of the remaining 1 to 2 cups of stock and to make a thick soup. Add the cream, creme fraiche, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and check the seasonings.
6. When ready to serve, reheat the soup gently and whisk in 2 tablespoons white wine and 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Serve hot with an extra grating of Parmesan and plenty of bread for dipping.