Leekally Blonde

A soup for all seasons.

The French add cream, serve it cold, and call it vichyssoise. English speakers tend to throw in cheddar and bacon and serve it piping hot. Whatever your preference, a good potato leek soup makes for a good and hearty lunch all on its own.

Leeks... are a bit of a pain. Because of how they grow, they require a real good cleaning before use. But trust me, the extra effort is worth it. You can find other cleaning methods on the Interwebs, but my method is as such: Trim the tough leaves and the root, then slice each leek in half. Run each half under water, peeling back individual layers and rubbing off any dirt you see. Give them a good shake to remove excess water.

The start of so many good dishes.

Potato Leek Soup
Makes 10 servings. 80 min.

In a large pot over medium-low heat, melt 4 tbsp. unsalted butter (vegans, use a substitute or 4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil). Stir in 6 chopped leeks, 1 chopped carrot, 1 chopped rib of celery, ¼ of an onion (chopped), and 5 minced cloves of garlic. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until the leek is tender but not browned, about 20 minutes. Stir in 4 sliced russet potatoes, 2 tbsp. soy sauce, and 8 c. vegetable broth, cover, and bring to a boil (high heat). Once boiling, turn the heat down low, and simmer for about 45 minutes, or until the potato is soft. Remove from heat and puree until very smooth. Season with salt and white and/or black pepper. Garnish with a handful of snipped chives.

Stick it in the fridge for a week or in the freezer 'til you run out. When you reheat it, you may want to add a few tbsp. of water to loosen things up a bit.

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Legally Blonde is, among other things, a musical written by Heather Hach with music and lyrics by Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin based on the novel by Amanda Brown and the film directed by Robert Luketic. Premiered 23 January 2007 at the Golden Gate Theatre in San Francisco.