Potato Leek Soup

Autumn is finally fully here, and its cold rainy days put me in the mood for soup.  I transform into a soup making nut through the cold winter months, I think it is because I can never seem to get warm.  Bundled with layers of socks and sweaters, with my warmest blanket, I wrap my hands around a warm bowl of soup and sink into comfort.

We harvested pounds and pounds of potatoes this fall (I got a little excited when I planted last spring), so I thought I would start with a vegan potato and leek soup.  I picked up some gorgeous heavy leeks this morning at the market and a bag of some of the most beautiful yellow onions I have laid eyes on.  With some garlic from the farm and a few of the Yukon Gold potatoes that I dug, I made a glorious thick soup, just right for warming up on a chilly autumn night.

There are a lot of alliums in this soup: leek, onion, garlic.  There is evidence that alliums are capable of keeping us healthy.  They ward of viruses and significantly reduce the incidence of colon and rectal cancer.  Lesson to learn: eat your alliums and stay healthy this winter!!!

POTATO LEEK SOUP

backyard farmgals

Olive oil

2 leeks, rinsed well, whites and light green parts cut to 1/4-inch thick slices

1 large yellow onion, diced

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

4 large yukon gold potatoes, diced into small pieces

4 cups vegetable (or chicken) stock

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp rosemary

1/4 tsp basil

1 tsp black pepper

2 tsp sea salt, or to taste

Sun dried tomatoes, roughly chopped

Method:

Heat a large, heavy pot over medium heat.  Coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil.  Add leeks and onions, sauté until onions begin to become translucent.  Add the garlic and continue to sauté for 1-2 minutes.  Add the potatoes and the vegetable stock.  Add bay leaf, rosemary, basil, black pepper, and salt.  Bring to a boil and cook 20-25 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.  

When potatoes are tender, remove from heat.  Remove bay leaf and ladle into a blender in two batches, purée until smooth and return to pot.  Alternately you can use a stick blender to purée the soup.  Taste and adjust seasoning, ladle into bowls, top with sun dried tomatoes, a little olive oil, and black pepper. (*If the soup is a little thick, you can add a little more vegetable broth to thin it to the right consistency.*)