Ellens Cheesy Potato Leek Soup Recipes

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a large wide pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, leeks and onion and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until soft and not browned, about 12 minutes. Raise the heat to medium-high, pour in the wine and continue to cook, uncovered, until almost dry, about 4 minutes.
• Add the potatoes, bay leaf, thyme, 7 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook, covered, until the potatoes are very tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
• Remove and discard the thyme and bay leaf. Working in batches, transfer the mixture to a blender and carefully puree until smooth, taking care not to fill the carafe more than half full per batch, or puree with an immersion blender in the pot. Reheat the soup over medium heat until steaming.
• Whisk in the cream and lemon juice. Adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves, a drizzle of oil and a frizzled leeks or shallot if using.

Steps:

• 1. Peel potatoes and cut into bite-size cubes. Prepare leeks: remove dark green leaves, cut in half lengthwise without cutting all the way through; thoroughly wash the white and light green part under cold water to remove any grit. Slice the leek thinly.
• 2. Place potatoes and leek in a large pot of boiling salted water; add onion and garlic. Cook, covered, about 15 minutes.
• 3. Drain into a colander and set aside.
• 4. Cook bacon until crispy; crumble and set aside.
• 5. In the same large pot, melt butter; add flour and salt and pepper. Blend with a wire whisk, and add milk gradually, stirring constantly with whisk.
• 6. When mixture begins to thicken, add the potatoes and leeks back into the pot, stirring until blended.
• 7. Add the crumbled bacon to the soup; mix well.
• 8. Add the cheese to the soup and mix well. Stir frequently until cheese is melted and soup is heated through.
• 9. Spoon into bowls and top with croutons if desired.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• 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 40 to 45 minutes, turning them with a spatula a few times during cooking, until very tender. Add the arugula and toss to combine. Roast for 4 to 5 more minutes, until the arugula is wilted. Remove the pan from the oven and place over 2 burners. Stir in the wine and 1 cup of the chicken stock and cook over low heat, scraping up any crispy roasted bits sticking to the pan.
• In batches, transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor fitted with the steel blade, adding the pan liquid and about 5 cups of the chicken stock to make a puree. Pour the puree into a large pot or Dutch oven. Continue to puree the vegetables in batches until they're all done and combined in the large pot. Add enough of the remaining 1 to 2 cups of stock to make a thick soup. Add the cream, creme fraiche, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and check the seasonings.
• 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 crispy shallots, if using.
• Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it reaches 220 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
• Reduce the heat to low, add the shallots, and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until they are a rich golden brown. The temperature should stay below 260 degrees F. Stir the shallots occasionally to make sure they brown evenly. Remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon, drain well, and spread out to cool on paper towels. Once they have dried and crisped, they can be stored at room temperature, covered, for several days.

Steps:

• Prepare vegetables and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Place prepared vegetables, except garlic, into the boiling water. Cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Drain.
• Meanwhile, cook garlic in melted butter about 1 to 2 minutes; add flour; then add chicken broth and stir until smooth. Stir this mixture into the pot of vegetables. Add cream, milk, and water and mix thoroughly.
• Add onion powder, salt and pepper and simmer over low heat until it begins to thicken. Add cheese and stir until melted.
• Serve hot with a sprinkling of chives if desired.