My first time ever making and enjoying potato and leek soup was a roaring success. I used Ian Garten‘s recipe for roasted potato and leek soup.
Here’s how to do it:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Chop and peel 2 pounds of Yukon gold potatoes, and put in a roasting pan. Chop the white and light green parts of 2 large leeks, and add to the roasting pan. Drizzle 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper over the top of the potatoes and leeks. Using your hands, toss together to coat everything evenly.
Potatoes and leeks before getting roasted.
Roast 40-45 minutes, or until very tender, turning the mixture with a spoon every so often so it cooks evenly. Take the roasting pan out of the oven and sprinkle 3 cups of arugula over the roasted veggies. Put the pan back into the oven for another 5 minutes to wilt the arugula.
Roasted veggies with wilted arugula.
Remove the pan and place on the stove top over 2 burners. Stir in 1/2 cup dry white wine and 1 cup of chicken stock. Using a wooden spoon, scape the bits off the bottom of the pan.
Seasoning is always very important. I usually go heavy on the black pepper.
In a few batches, transfer the roasted vegetables and the liquid to a food processor and puree with a total of 5 more cups chicken stock. Pour the puree into a large pot over low heat, and add enough chicken stock to thin down the mixture enough to a soup-like consistency, about 1-2 more cups. Stir in 3/4 cup heavy cream, 8 ounces of creme fraiche, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Just before serving, whisk in 2 tablespoons of white wine and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
