Cold potato-leek soup (vichyssoise)
Dietition's Tip
With their mild, sweet, onion flavor, leeks make a wonderful addition to this cold soup. Because they're grown in sandy soil, leeks tend to trap grit between their multilayered leaves and must be washed thoroughly before cooking.
Ingredients
- 4 leeks (white bottoms with a bit of green)
- 1 medium onion
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 medium potatoes, peeled and finely sliced
- 4 cups unsalted chicken broth
- 1/4 teaspoon mace
- 2 cups evaporated skim milk, chilled
- 6 tablespoons chopped chives
- Ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
In a blender or food processor, process the leeks and onion until finely chopped.
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped leeks and onion, and saute until tender and opaque (do not brown), about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the potatoes, chicken broth and mace. Cook over medium heat until the potatoes are tender.
Pour the mixture into the blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl and refrigerate.
Before serving, stir in the evaporated milk. Ladle into individual bowls. Top each with 1 tablespoon chives and pepper to taste. Serve cold.
