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Vichyssoise
Chilled leek and potato soup with cream and chives
Vichyssoise is a creamy leek and potato soup served cold, named after the spa town of Vichy and made famous by a French chef in New York in 1917, who based it on his mother's hot potage. In France it's made in hot weather, when a bowl of something cool and silky is all anyone wants, and served in small portions as a starter, sprinkled with chives. It needs only a few ingredients, so the leeks must be cooked gently to keep the colour pale and delicate. Chef's tip: let the leeks soften without browning; colouring them is the common mistake that turns the soup grey-beige and bitter.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Melt 1 ⅜ oz butter in a large pan over a low heat. Add 4 leeks and 1 onion, cover and sweat for 12–15 minutes, stirring now and then, until very soft and translucent but not coloured at all.
14 minStep 2: Add 14 oz potatoes, 1 litre vegetable stock, 1 tsp salt and ¼ tsp white pepper. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 minutes, until the potatoes fall apart when pressed.
15 minStep 3: Blend until completely smooth, then pass through a sieve for a really silky finish. Stir in ¾ cup double cream.
Step 4: Cool, then chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Cold soup thickens, so stir in ½ cup cold milk until it pours easily, and check the seasoning: cold food needs a little more salt.
Step 5: Serve in chilled bowls with 2 tbsp chives on top. It also makes a good hot soup.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 20 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does vichyssoise take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of leeks?
- 1 onion per leek.
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