Creamy Leek and Potato Soup

I've said it again and again, sometimes the most simple of ingredients turn into the most delicious creations in the kitchen.  And that's exactly the case with this creamy leek and potato soup.  Wow, it tastes amazing - let me show you how easy it is to make.

To clean the leeks, start by cutting off the dark green leafy tops.  I'll freeze them for now and the next time I make my amazingly delicious homemade chicken stock, I'll toss them in.

Okay, cut the leeks in half lengthwise, keeping the root end in tact.  Rinse the leafy petals under running water to remove any dirt.  Because leeks grow straight up out of the soil, dirt and sand get stuck between those leaves.  

After the dirt is rinsed away, trim the root end away and cut each half in half lengthwise again.  Then cut across down the length of the leek until you have a whole bunch of chopped leeks ready to go in the soup pot. 

Alright then, to make the soup, simply saute the lovely leeks in a bit of butter until they caramelize a bit.

This is where I wish you could take a whiff.  It smells so good!!!!

But we're not done yet - it's time to add the potatoes.

Followed by some chicken stock, salt, and pepper.  Than simmer until the potatoes are tender. Seriously though, try my homemade chicken stock if at all possible.  It's so easy to make, but you can certainly use store bought stock of you don't have the time to make your own. 

That reminds me, I like to keep this stuff in the fridge for rare occasions when I don't have any homemade stock in the freezer.  I think it tastes better than cans or cartons of stock you can get at the grocery store, and it doesn't take up much room so it's easy to store.

Okay, back to the soup - once the potatoes are tender, you pour everything into a blender and puree  (I can't even begin to tell you how much I love my Vitamix).  Be careful though, you never want to over process anything that contains potatoes because they can become "gummy" or "gluey" when overworked.  Also, don't fill your blender more than 1/2 full because warm ingredients expand in the blender and you don't need green goo on your ceiling.  Of, you can simplify things and just use one of these.

Stir in a little sour cream, sprinkle on a few chopped chives, and dig in!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• vitamix https://amzn.to/3g9VIUs

• dutch oven https://amzn.to/34i4pJt

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Creamy Leek and Potato Soup

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon unsalted butter

• 1 pound leeks, cleaned, trimmed, and chopped (about 3 cups chopped)

• 1 pound red or yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice

• 4 cups chicken stock

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1/2 cup sour cream (optional)

• chopped chives for garnis

Directions

1. In a heavy bottomed pan over medium high heat, caramelize the leeks in butter.

2. Add potatoes, chicken stock, salt, and pepper.

3. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer; simmer until potatoes are tender.

4. Remove from heat and puree soup until smooth, being careful not to overwork the potatoes (which can make them "gummy or gluey".

5. Stir in sour cream if desired.

6. Garnish with chives.

DIY Authentic Clotted Cream

Oh boy do I have a treat for you!  I'm talking authentic homemade clotted cream.  It's like heavy cream on steroids.  No joke.  This stuff is amazing.

Start with Pasteurized heavy cream, not Ultra-Pasteurized (apparently, ultra-p won't work).   The closest grocery store I can find that sells regular pasteurized cream is oven an hour away, but a couple of my local farmer's markets sell dairy products from small dairies - usually they're not ultra-pasteurized.  You'll pay a bit more, but it'll be worth it when you taste that first bite of clotted cream.  I promise!

Pour the cream into a shallow baking dish so the cream is an inch or so deep.  Here I have a pint of cream in a shallow oven-safe pasta bowl. 

Be sure to cover your baking dish while it's in the oven.  More on why a little later.

Set the oven to 180F and walk away for 10-12 hours.   Check your owner's manual - some ovens turn off after so many hours.

This is what the cream looks like after 12 hours in the oven.  The color has darkened a bit and the cream has thickened substantially.  But it's not done yet.  Allow the cream to cool at room temperature for an hour or so, then cover it well with plastic wrap and chill overnight.

Chilling overnight helps that clotted layer of cream thicken even further.  Remove the thickened layer from the top of the cream and store it in an airtight jar.  The remaining milky liquid can be used in baking or pour it over your breakfast cereal.  You'll end up with about 1 cup of clotted cream and 1 cup of milky liquid.

Here's what will happen if you don't cover your baking dish - some of the lovely thickened cream will crust over.  

The crusty layer peels back to reveal the clotted cream, but you'll get much more clotted cream if you cover your baking dish with foil during the baking process. 

Either way, try not to eat your weight in clotted cream at this point.  

Be strong - I know you can resist!

And there you have it.  Spread the clotted cream on scones or toast.  Store in an airtight container in the fridge and use within a week.  The leftover milky liquid can be used for baking or pour it on your morning oatmeal.  Enjoy! 

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• shallow bowls http://amzn.to/2qiRlLm

• oven thermometer https://amzn.to/3Ghxwd8

• wooden spreader http://amzn.to/2oT4dWz

• clear glass ramekins http://amzn.to/2oVZMLF

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DIY Authentic Clotted Cream

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 pint pasteurized heavy cream (not ultra-pasteurized)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180F.

2. Pour cream into a shallow oven-safe baking dish and cover well with foil.

3. Bake cream for 10-12 hours.

4. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature, uncovered, for about an hour.

5. Cover well with plastic wrap and chill overnight.

6. Scoop clots from milky liquid and place in an airtight container. Chill well and use within a week.

Notes

• This recipe will yield about 1 cup of clotted cream. The leftover milky liquid can be used for baking or pour it over your breakfast cereal.

• Clotted cream and Devonshire cream are basically the same, but Devonshire cream is made in Devonshire, England.