Resourcefulness is to cooking as improvisation is to jazz. Both arts are better off because people don't always follow set rules. As a cook, you may not have, or even like, an ingredient, so sometimes you must adapt or you'll drive yourself crazy. This soup is the perfect example. At home, we make the adapted version of Robert Irvine's Potato Leek Soup provided below. Our version is very close to his, though I cut down on the leeks because leeks are outrageously expensive and use dried thyme because I find dried thyme taste just as wonderful as fresh in this soup.
Molly wanted to make the soup, but had major supermarket challenges and natural student budget constraints. She decided to skip leeks altogether, as well as the thyme and bay leaf. She bumped up the oniony-ness with an extra onion and added 1/ 4 parmesan cheese for more depth of flavor. Then, she packed on the pepper for extra zip. Though I wasn't there, the reviews were VERY, VERY good. A new soup is born!
6 potatoes, peeled and cut into large pieces3 leeks, whites only, thoroughly washed
3 stalks celery, roughly chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
1 bay leaf
2 quarts chicken stock
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 ounces (1 stick) melted butter
1 cup light cream, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper
In a large pot, place potatoes, leeks, celery, onion, bay leaf and chicken stock and bring to a boil, about 15 minutes. Continue to boil until potatoes are soft. Mix flour and butter in small bowl to make a roux for thickening the soup. Add the cream, thyme, and salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf. Using an immersion blender (or in batches in a blender or food processor), blend soup until smooth. Pour into a medium pot and simmer for 20 more minutes until soup has thickened and serve.
If you cook some broccoli until it is just done, chop & add to the soup, you'll love the taste and feel more virtuous. Plus the color is wonderful.
