Herbal Spotlight: Leeks, with my Ultimate Potato Leek Soup Recipe

In this house, we all are fans of the entire Allium family, but leeks? Leeks hold a special place in my heart. Nutritious, delicious, & FILLING, they make a meal all by themselves. Join me as we put them in the spotlight & I share my recipe for potato leek soup with a special ingredient that puts it into the 'Ultimate' Category--
For some reason, leeks aren't as widely used here in the US as their relatives onions, shallots, garlic, & chives. This is a shame, as in addition to their mild-slightly-sweeter onion flavor, they provide a ton of amazing health benefits. L​eeks stimulate the immune system, support both the nervous system & cardiac health, protect against cataracts, assist in lowering blood pressure, & even reduce water retention! ​

Truly a superfood, they contain high levels of flavonoids, folate, Vitamins A & E, & fiber. Leeks are rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper, & iron, & are completely fat-free! They also work well in side-dishes or in the leading-role for dinner. Typically, only the tender white & pale green parts are eaten, although many keep the dark greens for stock. If you buy them with the root-ends attached, you can replant those & they will grow & produce seeds-- a neat little $-saving trick!

Chart: whfoods.com

Here in Maine, we plant our leek-starts in Spring, my husband & I working as a team to separate each tiny seedling from the bunch & set them up in long rows of soil with some sand mixed in. After about 6 weeks, we hill the plants up, mounding sand & dirt around the bases of each to increase the edible growth. Once harvested, leeks will keep in the fridge [I wrap mine in a damp towel] for 2 weeks or so, or can be cleaned & stored in the freezer for about 3 months without losing too much flavor. I often make enormous batches of potato leek soup to freeze at harvest time as well, so we can enjoy the flavor of fresh leeks all winter long. The soup heats up well & makes for an easy diner on a cold night -- Simply grab a baguette, throw a quick salad together & you’re done!

My special ingredients

A bit about Potato Leek soups before we get to my recipe -- this recipe can be served a number of ways depending on your preference. Easiest as a classic chunky, rustic soup or simply pureed with an immersion blender, feel free to end it there & enjoy. With the addition of cream, it also makes a lovely Vichyssoise, traditionally served cold. Our family’s favorite way to enjoy it is what we call ‘warm Vichy’ -- where we add the cream after pureeing, then warm it back up to serve. It is lovely all four ways. If you are making it to freeze, hold off on adding the cream until reheating to serve. I use chicken stock in mine, but have made an equally tasty vegetarian version with Vegetable Stock too. Finally, my special added ingredient is CARROT -- both grated & the carrot greens. I find it a perfect pairing, with its sweetness adding a lovely high foil to the deep flavor of the soup. The greens also add an insane amount of Vitamin C, as they contain up to six times more than the roots do. DELICIOUS!​

Ultimate Potato Leek Soup

• 4-6 leeks, white/light green 
• 4-5 red potatoes, peeled/sliced  
• 1/2 tsp turmeric  
• 5 cups chicken stock  
• 1/4 tsp 'Bell' seasoning [or sage]  
• 2 or 3 carrots with greens  
• 3 TBS unsalted butter  
• Chopped flat-leaf parsley

Optional To Make it Vichy:  
Chives chopped  
1 cup Heavy Cream [Or half & half]

Trim off the root ends & tops of your leeks, leaving only the pale green & white portions. Slice leeks lengthwise & rinse under cold water to remove any sand & grit in the layers. Chop them all into half rounds. Finely grate the carrots. Keep the greens of one carrot, chopped roughly. In a large coquette, melt 3 TBS butter, add your sliced leeks & saute until softened & slightly browned, about 12 minutes. Stir in 5 cups stock, scraping the bottom to release any ​

Sliced lengthwise for easy cleaning

fond built up from the leeks. Add the sliced potatoes, carrot greens, & ¾ of your shredded carrots. Bring to a boil & simmer until the potatoes are cooked, about 30 minutes. Add your spices & S/P to taste. Stir in the chopped parsley. Leave it chunky if desired & serve, or puree your soup in the pot with an immersion blender. Stir in remaining shredded carrot. Serve with chopped chives to sprinkle on top! Or give 'Warm Vichy' a try.....

Stir in the cream [or half & half] with the remaining carrots to your pureed soup. Gently rewarm. Top each serving with a swirl of cream & chopped chives. Serve with crusty bread.

There you have it! 
I hope you give my recipe a try-- I think you will be thrilled with the results. Let me know which way you prefer to have your soup -- Rustic-Chunky, Pureed, or Warm Vichy!   

That is all for this post-- See you all again in two weeks.