Leek & Potato Soup

I have leek and potato soup for dinner at least once a week, it's just that good. It takes almost no time and effort, and freezes really well so heated up leftovers taste just as good as when you first made it.

To make leek and potato soup I just use an equal number of leeks and baking potatoes, a bit of butter or olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper, and enough vegetable stock and/or water to cover everything once it's in a pot. Cut the tough, dark green tops off of the leeks so you're left with the tender white and light green parts only. Slice the roots off the end of the leeks and slice down the middle of them lengthwise. This will let you clean the leeks really well since they grow in sand that seems to enjoy getting in between the many layers of the leek. Once they are well cleaned, slice them into smaller pieces and saute in the butter or olive oil on low heat for about 10 minutes. You want the leeks to get soft but don't let them brown.

While the leeks are getting soft, clean and thinly slice the baking potatoes. Purists would tell you that the potatoes should be peeled but that sound like more work to me, besides, a lot of the nutrients in a potato are just under the skin of the potato as well so I like to think of not peeling as the healthier option. Once your leeks are soft, throw in the sliced potatoes and stock/water. Bring the whole thing to a boil and then cover and let simmer until the potatoes are cooked (about 20 minutes).

I puree the soup at this point with an immersion blender that I have, so I can blend it right in the pot but you can blend it in a traditional blender or just mash of the potatoes by hand and leave the soup chunky as well. Add some salt and pepper to taste (with emphasis on the pepper) and thin the soup with either water or milk if needed.

One more thing that I add that is completely optional is a cup or two of corn after the soup is already pureed. I added it one day on a whim and it was so good that it's now a regular addition to my soup. The sweet corn goes really well with the leeks and potatoes and it gives the soup a bit more of a rustic, hearty feel.