Leeks !


So much more go into leeks than the beautiful white spears you get at the market. They are started in the greenhouse in early spring. Being frost hardy, they can be set out early. We make a deep ( well, not that deep, about a foot or so) trenches, and transplant each baby leek into the trench. Then, through out the growing season we hill them. That's why they have long, usable white portions. In the fall, when they reach their full size they are pulled, cleaned up and washed. All that for a leek? Yes ! We are know locally for our beautiful leeks.
Here is a recipe for an easy and delicious potato leek soup:

Leek and Potato Soup

3 Tb. Butter
4 Cups sliced leeks
3 Tb. Flour
6 cups hot water
1 Tb. Salt, or to taste and ground black pepper to taste
4 cups diced potatoes ( I love yellow boiling potatoes)
2 cups milk added at the end of cooking.( add at end so it doesn’t curdle)


Melt butter over moderate heat in a soup pot, stir in leeks. Cover pot, and cook slowly over low heat for 10 minutes. Then blend in flour, and cook over moderate heat for 2 minutes to cook the flour. Remove from heat, let cool a moment, slowly stir in hot water to blend with the leeks and flour. Stir in salt and pepper, and potaoes. Bring to a boil, the reduce heat to a simmer and partially cover pot and let cook for about 40 minutes until potatoes are tender.
Potatoes can be partially mashed , or left in the cubed state. What ever suits your fancy!

So easy, and so good!

I'm new to writing recipes, so let me know how this works for you.

Comments

Anonymous said…
I always make leek potato soup the way my mother made it, which was just plain leeks and potatoes, salt and pepper. I don't know if that's a typical french recipe, or just hers.
Marjorie Susman said…
Adding the flour, and cooking it into an almost roux gives it (I think) a really bountiful mouth feel. And, what I love about this recipe is how easy and adaptable it is. For example, a handful of wilted greens ( like spinach or chard ) add a beautiful color to it, as does some finely minced red pepper.

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