Creamy Potato and Leek Soup

I actually only had potato and leek soup for the first time a few years ago. My cousin Caroline and I were in Aberdeen, Scotland. Having been beaten down by the exchange rate the past week, soup du jour was the only thing we felt comfortable affording most of the time when eating out in the U.K.

After a long day, and an even longer search for an affordable dinner, we finally made reservations at a little Italian place tucked away from the strip that had soup du jour. To put things into perspective, soup du jour was usually around three or four pounds stirling (approximately $6.00-$8.00 USD). Anything else on the menu would be closer to ten pounds stirling (approximately $20.00 USD), usually more. Now you understand why soup was so very satisfying.

So, about an hour into our wait for a table, we were fully irritated with everything. We had had a long day, with a few mishaps, a few disappointments, a few irritations. It was late, we were hungry, and we were very annoyed at the lack of restaurants in such a busy part of town. Especially because the only one we had found was making us wait another hour for a table. An older couple who was also waiting began to chat with us, insisting on buying us both a drink. They were charming, and I don't know if it was the company or the alcohol that began to cheer us up. Not soon after, we were called to our table, where I of course ordered the soup du jour - which was potato and leek soup. We ate quickly, given that it was well past 10:00 pm, and thanked the couple on our way out for turning our evening around. Not the best story, but, one I still remember fondly. This is the story of my first time eating potato and leek soup... fondly remembered, because of the friendly couple who saved our moods that evening.

The following is the recipe I created specifically to recreate the soup I had that night in Aberdeen. I like this recipe because it's simple, cheap, and fast. It doesn't get much better than that.


Creamy Potato and Leek Soup

2 Russet potatoes
1 leek
1 can chicken stock
1/2 c. whipping cream
1 c. milk
1 t salt

optional but recommended: 1/2 c. grated white cheese of choice (parmesan, cheddar, etc.)

Peel and cube the potatoes. Rough chop the light green and white parts of the leek. In a large saucepan, combine the potatoes, leek, and stock. Bring to a boil, and simmer until the potatoes are soft, approximately 30 minutes. Using a whisk, stir the soup to break apart the potatoes. It's okay if the soup is a little chunky, but it shouldn't look like mashed potatoes.

Stir in the cream, milk, and salt. Continue to simmer for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the grated cheese. Done!

Yields: approx. two large servings



Notes: I recommend you make only what you need, because the leftovers don't keep very well. They taste okay, but the starch absorbs most of the liquid and the next day you'll have soupy mashed potatoes instead of actual soup.