Herbed Potato-Leek Soup

If you following many food blogs, you’re sure to hear bloggers talking about the wonderful friends they’ve made through the blogging community.  You won’t hear any differently here.  I can honestly say some of my best friends are my fellow food bloggers.  And today, one of my friends is hurting.  She’s suffered a loss she never should’ve suffered.  An unexpected loss.  One that turned her world upside down.  It isn’t fair.

I want to give her a hug and tell her everything will be okay, but I’m not close enough to hug her and I can’t tell her everything will be okay.  How do you tell someone something like that when a life-long constant is gone?  How?

If you’re like me, you cook.  You put a big pot of something on the stove and let it simmer away until it feels right.  You bring the only bit of comfort you can through belly-warming food made with love.  You hope it’s a small consolation at an otherwise topsy-turvy time.

So, my friend, this is for you.  It’s made with care and love and thoughts of peace and healing.  I hope it helps.

Herbed Potato-Leek Soup

adapted from epicurious

Ingredients:

3 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-in. pieces

9-10 c. low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

3 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), chopped

1 1/2 c. half and half cream

1/4 c. minced fresh chives or green onion tops

2 TBSP minced fresh basil or 2 tsp. dried, crumbled

1-2 TBSP minced fresh dill or 1-1 1/2 tsp. dried dillweed

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. salt, plus more to taste

fresh black pepper, to taste

hot pepper sauce, to taste

chopped fresh chives, green onion tops, or dill sprigs, to garnish

Directions:

1.  Bring first 10 ingredients to boil in heavy large pot or
Dutch oven over high heat. Boil 15 minutes.

2.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until
potatoes are very tender and soup thickens slightly, about 30 minutes.  

3.  Using an immersion blender, puree soup to desired consistency.  Alternately, carefully puree soup in a blender 2 c. at a time.  Season with additional salt, pepper, and hot pepper sauce.

4.  Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish, if desired, and serve with love. 

one year ago: Mesa Grill’s pumpkin soup and balsamic-pomegranate roasted Brussels sprouts