Well, spring was there for a minute. This cold, rainy weather has put me in a comfort soup making mood— so here’s a recipe that I’ve been meaning to try. And I love potatoes and leeks.
Normally, some type of cream is added to this soup, but I didn’t feel like making something that heavy. After blending the potatoes with a hand-held blender, I decided that the soup was creamy enough without adding soy or dairy to it.
I did try adding the tough green ends of the leeks, a part I normally pitch, to my vegetable stock. Subtle, but I think it did bring out an extra layer of flavor. Sauteing the leeks before adding them to the soup also enhanced the flavor, an idea I also borrowed from the Slate food blog.
Also, I didn’t peel the potatoes before adding them to the soup, because I like the way potato skins taste.
When making this soup again, I think I’ll add some spinach or bok choy to it— some green to balance out the starch.
Ingredients:
3-4 leeks, sliced, green ends saved
1 lb red potatoes, chopped into large cubes
5-6 cups vegetable stock/broth
spices: parsley, thyme, chives (your choice)
salt and pepper to taste
butter or non-dairy substitute (I like Earth Balance) 
1.Wash and chop the leeks. Save the green ends, and add them to your stock or broth. Heat to a low simmer.
2. While the stock is simmering, begin to saute the leeks in butter or butter substitute for 8-10 minutes. You want them to be soft and translucent, but not brown and crispy.
3. Chop the potatoes into large cubes. They don’t need to be pretty, as you’ll be blending them later.
4. Once your leeks are sauteed, and the stock has been simmering for about 20-30 minutes, strain out the leek ends from the broth.
5. Add the potatoes and cooked leeks, and any herbs you want to use. I had fresh parsley, so a a few fresh sprigs were added to the stock.
6. Simmer on low for about 30 minutes, or until the potatoes soften.
7. Blend the potatoes with a handheld blender.
Detroiter in Poland 