Potato Leek Soup

As the winter sinks its claws into the east coast again, don't you want warm soup? I want warm soup. This is my go to soup. It's easy, it's cheap, its warm and delicious.

When I make potato leek soup, the creamy-pureed soup, that is not at the top of my list. Cream soups make giant messes of pots, and I like generally like chunks in my soup. I think of it as easy vegetable soup, really. Get tasty potatoes, russets or yukon gold. If you have one available, and have the fortitude to deal with one, a grated celery root is a delicious addition, as are celery seeds, but if neither are on hand, it is good without.

Potato Leek Soup

serves: lots

4 tbsp butter (or less, or olive oil)

minced ginger to taste

salt to taste

1 bay leaf

3 quarts broth, approximately*

3 leeks, with the ends trimmed

4 carrots, peeled and chopped

4 stalks of celery, chopped

4 potatoes, chopped

Melt the butter and sautee the garlic.

When the butter is melted and the garlic looks sauteed, add in the broth, bay leaf, and all the vegetables except the potatoes. Boil until everything is pretty soft, for about half an hour. Pull out the bay leaf and blend. If you have an immersion blender, now is a great time to use it; if not, you'll have to blend it in a regular mixer; try to get mostly the solid pieces in the blender, you'll be less likely to burn yourself that way. You don't really need to puree it to smooth unless you want to, like I said, I like some chunks. Cook it with the potatoes, until they are soft to the touch and nice and biteable, about another half hour.

Serve it with good crusty bread if you have it.

Unlike Bess, I am absolutely terrible at actually keeping track of how much anything costs. I might get better later as the blog progresses, but for now...here is my recipe.

*I use Trader Joe's vegetable broth that comes in a box. I would highly recommend using broth instead of water, but what kind of broth you use is really up to you.