Potage Parmentier (Leek and Potato Soup)

We sling a lot of soup on Let's Stay Home Tonight! There is something incredibly comforting about a warm bowl of home brewed soup. If you've lived through a long Midwestern winter or something similar, you'll know that soup is as close to therapy that a food can get. This winter, on one of those days that the snow was blowing in horizontal sheets, I rented Julie & Julia. The story of the modern day blogger was entertaining, but the lady that really swept me off my feet was Julia Child as played by Meryl Streep. After the movie, I scoured the internet for JC recipes, ordered her autobiography, My Life in France and of course the quintessential guide to classic French cooking, Mastering The Art of French Cooking. Obsession, thy name is Julia Child! I think what drew me in as much as mentally flying away to 1950's-60's France, was Julia's absolute enjoyment of life. So today in her honor, we are posting the very first recipe in the cookbook. It is such a simple recipe but you will be pleasantly surprised by the lovely flavor marriage of potato and leek.

A 3 to 4 quart saucepan

3 to 4 cups or 1 pound peeled potatoes, diced or sliced

3 cups or 1 pound thinly sliced leeks including the tender green

2 quarts of water

1 TB salt (we used a bit less)

4 to 5 tablespoons whipping cream or 2 to 3 TB softened butter

2 to 3 TB minced parsley or chives

You can also add a bit of carrot or other vegetable you think would go well. In LSHT's test kitchen, we added a bit of diced carrot in with the potatoes and leeks.

Simmer the vegetables, water, and salt together partially covered for about 40 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Mash the vegetables in the soup with a fork or pass the soup through a food mill. (We pureed in a blender). Taste and adjust seasoning. Off heat and just before serving, stir in the cream or butter by spoonfuls. Pour into soup bowls/cups and decorate with the herbs.

Michael and the girls devoured this soup thankfully and reverently (the reverently might have been in my imagination) along with bread and salad. As Julia would say, Bon Appetit!