Leek and Potato Cream Soup

A couple days ago, I got my hands on freshly dug up Russet potatoes, leeks, and the most aromatic garlic from the farmer’s market. Given the gloomy and slightly cooler weather we have been having, I decided to turn these simple ingredients into a delicious Leek and Potato soup. I topped each bowl of soup with chopped fresh parsley, black sesame seeds, ground black pepper, and a slice of baguette with chopped tomatoes from my mom’s garden. Chives would have complimented this soup a lot better but I had fresh parsley that needed to be used up so that is what I rolled with. I would probably use chives the next time.

As with any root vegetable dish, I added a pinch of turmeric to this soup. Turmeric has the ability to destroy toxins before it reaches the liver and since root vegetables are more prone to absorbing toxins from the ground, I add some for good measure. You could leave it out entirely but I prefer the beautiful colour that it produces when mixed with leeks and potato.

Leek and Potato Soup RECIPE

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2.5 cups chopped leeks (greens and white)
• 2.5 cups chopped Russet/Yukon Gold potatoes
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cups of veggie broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• a pinch of turmeric
• salt to taste (about 1 tsp)
• black pepper and red chilli flakes to taste
• chives or parsley, minced

Instructions:

1. In a soup pot, melt the butter on medium heat. Add the bay leaf, turmeric, and leeks. Sauté until the leeks wilt and caramelize. Add the garlic and give the contents of the pot a quick stir.
2. Add the potatoes, salt, and veggie broth. Bring to a boil then cover and cook until the potatoes are tender and can be easily broken with a fork (about 20 minutes).
3. Once the potatoes are cooked, remove the pot from the stove and remove the bay leaf. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup to your desired consistency.
4. Mix in the cream, and place the pot back on the stove. Bring the contents of the pot back to a boil and stir until soup thickens.
5. Check seasoning. Add black pepper, herb of choice, and red chilli flakes if desired.
6. Serve warm with toppings of choice and a crusty bread.

NOTE:

• This soup can be made vegan by using olive oil instead of butter and a nut or coconut milk instead of cream. I would recommend making your own nut milk by blending soaked nuts and a bit of warm water as a thicker milk will help thicken the soup to the same consistency as heavy cream would.
• Chicken broth would enhance the flavour of this soup, if you choose to go that route.