Leek And Potato Soup W Croutons 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:

• In a medium pot over medium heat, combine the potatoes and broth and allow to simmer for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
• In a separate skillet over medium heat, saute the leeks in the butter or margarine for 5 to 10 minutes, or until tender. Add the leeks and the cream to the potatoes and stir well. (Note: This is the point I like to take a potato masher and slightly thicken the soup.)

Steps:

• Over medium heat, saute onions and garlic in a 1 gallon stock pot. Add diced potatoes and fresh thyme. Cover with stock and simmer until potatoes are soft. Puree with hand blender. Slice leek into thin circles and fold into potato soup and simmer until leeks are soft but still bright green. Finish soup with cream, and salt and pepper.
• Cut circles out of four slices of fresh rye bread. Brush with olive oil and toast. Garnish with smoked salmon.
• Pour potato leek soup evenly into four soup bowls and garnish with smoked salmon crouton and fresh parsley.

Steps:

• Cut leeks in half lengthwise and slice into 1/2-inch pieces. Place leeks in a colander. Separate sliced leeks under cold running water and clean them. Drain well.
• Heat a medium soup pot over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, bay leaf and leeks. Season with salt and pepper. Peel potatoes and thinly slice them, adding them to soup pot as you go. Season potatoes with a little salt, add chicken stock (and water if you're using it) to soup pot. Cover soup and bring to a boil. Uncover and simmer 12 to 15 minutes, until potatoes are very tender. Break up potatoes to slightly thicken soup. Remove bay leaf.
• While soup simmers, rub the inside of a large mixing bowl with the cracked garlic. Slice the bread into small cubes. Add the bread to the bowl, drizzle generously with olive oil, and season well with salt and pepper. Toss the bread in the bowl to completely coat with oil, and pour onto a baking sheet in 1 layer. Place in the oven and toast until golden, about 6 or 8 minutes.
• While croutons bake, cut slab bacon into 1/4-inch slices, making fat matchstick shapes (or regular sliced bacon, cut into quarter inch pieces.) Cook bacon in small nonstick pan over medium high heat. Remove rendered bacon to paper towels.
• To serve soup, ladle into bowls and top with bacon, croutons, chives and cracked pepper. Serve with crusty bread on the side.