Pototo Leek Soup

The same night I made Ratatouille and watched the movie, I also made a soup to use for lunches. I made a recipe that was included with the farm's newsletter. It was Potato Leek Soup.

In the movie, Linguini messes up a soup in the kitchen and Remy the rat helps him fix it. Ironically, the fragrant soup he makes that gets rave reviews is...drumroll please...potato leek soup! What a coincidence.

I followed Julia Child's recipe, since that was the one on the newsletter (another strange coincidence of recipes). The one I include here is Remy's recipe. The two recipes are very similar, but the rat's includes more herbs. I did not bother with the chive oil, though I did add chives. A drop of olive oil in the pan prevents the butter from burning.


Remy's Potato Leek Soup

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large leeks
2 large russet potatoes
5 cups chicken stock
Bouquet garni (recipe below)
1/2 cup cream
Chive oil (recipe below)
1/4 cup finely minced chives
Coarse salt, ground black pepper

Top the leeks, leaving some of the pale green, and remove the root. Slice lengthwise in half, and then slice each half crosswise into 1/4-inch slices. Immerse leeks in bowl of cold water, repeating until no sand remains, lifting leeks from one bowl to another with hands so you don't transfer sand. Melt butter in heavy saucepan over medium low heat, add leeks and sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so leeks do not brown. Cut potatoes into rough 1-inch dice and add to leeks.

Add chicken stock and bouquet garni, and simmer for about 20 minutes until potatoes are tender. Remove bouquet garni, transfer soup to blender in batches, purée until smooth, and transfer to clean pot. Reheat soup, add cream, and bring back to simmer for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, drizzle with chive oil and garnish with finely minced chives.


Bouquet garni

Fold a 6-inch length of washed leek leaf in half, inserting several sprigs of fresh thyme and parsley, eight peppercorns and two bay leaves between the folded leaves. Tie with butcher's cord.


Chive oil

1 bunch chives, roughly chopped
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and ground black pepper

Add the chives to a food processor. With machine running, slowly add the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl or squeeze bottle and reserve.

Serves 6.