Published on January 27, 2016

Cold potato-leek soup (vichyssoise)

With their mild, sweet, onion flavor, leeks make a wonderful addition to this soup.

With their mild, sweet, onion flavor, leeks make a wonderful addition to this cold soup. Because they're grown in sandy soil, leeks tend to trap grit between their multilayered leaves and must be washed thoroughly before cooking.

Ingredients (Serves 6)

  • 4 leeks (white bottoms with a bit of green)
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 medium potatoes, peeled and finely sliced
  • 4 cups unsalted chicken broth
  • 1/4 teaspoon mace
  • 2 cups evaporated skim milk, chilled
  • 6 tablespoons chopped chives
  • Ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

In a blender or food processor, process the leeks and onion until finely chopped.

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped leeks and onion, and saute until tender and opaque (do not brown), about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the potatoes, chicken broth and mace. Cook over medium heat until the potatoes are tender.

Pour the mixture into the blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl and refrigerate.

Before serving, stir in the evaporated milk. Ladle into individual bowls. Top each with 1 tablespoon chives and pepper to taste. Serve cold.