Leek And Thyme Soup Recipes

Steps:

• In a large pot, heat the 1/4 cup oil over medium. Add the leeks and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until meltingly tender, about 7 minutes.
• Add the celery, potato, bay leaves and thyme, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the wine to deglaze, then cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is almost dry, about 3 minutes.
• Add the stock and bring to boil over high. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until all the vegetables are fully tender and soft, about 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaves, then stir in 1 cup parsley leaves.
• Working in two or three batches, transfer the soup to a blender and purée until smooth. (It's almost always beneficial to let the soup blend for another minute or two past what seems necessary to emulsify as much as possible.) Season generously with salt and pepper.
• Transfer to bowls. Drizzle with olive oil; garnish with reserved celery leaves and parsley, and sprinkle with pepper. Serve with a dollop of crème fraîche or a drizzle of heavy cream.

Steps:

• Using electric mixer, beat cream just until soft peaks form. Fold in 2 teaspoons thyme. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours to blend flavors. (Thyme cream can be made up to 1 day ahead. If cream separates, whisk until soft peaks re-form. ) Remove from refrigerator 1 hour before serving to come to room temperature.
• In 4-quart stock pot over moderately high heat, heat 2 tablespoons butter until hot but not smoking. Working in 2 batches (add 2 more tablespoons butter before second batch), cook mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer to large bowl.
• In same stock pot over moderate heat, heat remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in leeks, cover, and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add cooked mushrooms, sprinkle with flour, and stir until flour is evenly distributed. Stir in stock, then salt, pepper, and remaining 1 teaspoon thyme. Bring to boil, stirring often, then reduce heat to low, set lid ajar, and simmer 20 minutes. (Soup can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated, covered. Reheat before serving.)
• Divide soup among 8 bowls and top each portion with dollop of thyme cream. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Trim the green portions of the leek and, using 2 of the largest and longest leaves, make a bouquet garni by folding the 2 leaves around the bay leaves, peppercorns and thyme. Tie into a package-shaped bundle with kitchen twine and set aside. (Alternately, tie 2 leek leaves, bay leaves, peppercorns and thyme together in a piece of cheesecloth.)
• Using a sharp knife, halve the white part of the leek lengthwise and rinse well under cold running water to rid the leek of any sand. Slice thinly crosswise and set aside.
• In a large soup pot over medium heat, melt the butter and add the bacon. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is very soft and has rendered most of its fat. Add the chopped leeks and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Add the reserved bouquet garni, chicken stock, potatoes, salt and white pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are falling apart and the soup is very flavorful.
• Remove the bouquet garni and, working in batches, puree the soup in a food processor or blender. (Alternately, if you own an immersion blender, puree the soup directly in the pot.) Stir in the creme fraiche and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Serve immediately, with some of the snipped chives sprinkled over the top of each bowl of soup.

Steps:

• Halve the leeks lengthwise and rinse away any grit. Thinly slice the leeks crosswise. In a small square of cheesecloth, tie together bay leaves, thyme, sage, parsley and celery leaves if using.
• Melt the butter or heat the oil in the bottom of a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the leeks and cook, stirring frequently, until leeks are soft and dark golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the garlic for the last 3 minutes of cooking.
• Stir in stock or water, the sachet of herbs, the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce immediately to medium-low; simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add the potatoes and simmer soup until potatoes are very tender and falling apart, about 45 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. If desired, drizzle a small amount of cream into each bowl when serving, and top with parsley for garnish.

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot and add the leeks and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until leeks are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for about a minute, until the garlic smells fragrant. Add the stock or water, the rice, bay leaf and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Taste and adjust salt. Remove the bay leaf and discard.
• Puree the soup with an immersion blender or a food mill, or in batches in a blender, taking care to remove the lid or take out the center insert and to cover with a towel to avoid hot splashes. Return to the pot, heat through, and add pepper to taste and a pinch of cayenne if desired. Serve hot or cold. If you wish you can thin out with milk, plain yogurt or a combination of milk and creme fraiche. Garnish with chopped chives or croutons.

Steps:

• Melt butter in large pot over medium-high heat. Add leeks and 4 teaspoons thyme; sauté until leeks are almost soft, reducing heat if needed to prevent rapid browning, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer 1/2 cup leeks to small bowl; reserve. Add broccoli and 4 cups broth to pot; bring to boil. Cover; boil until vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Puree soup in blender until smooth. thin soup with more broth, if desired. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls; sprinkle with 2 teaspoons chopped thyme and reserved leeks.

Steps:

• Heat oil and butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add potatoes, leeks, and celery; cook and stir until leeks are tender, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Stir in broth, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
• Transfer 4 cups soup into a blender. Remove the top insert of the blender and cover with a paper towel; puree until smooth. Add puree back to the Dutch oven.
• Stir in heavy cream and cook over medium-low until slightly thickened, 10 to 15 more minutes. Ladle into bowls and garnish with crumbled bacon.

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir leek, rosemary, and garlic until leek is tender and translucent, about 15 minutes.
• Add diced tomatoes and cayenne pepper; bring to a simmer. Add minced basil; continue simmering until soup is reduced by half, about 1 hour.
• Remove half of the soup and puree in a blender until smooth. Return pureed soup to the saucepan. Stir in cream to desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and ground black pepper.