Potato Leek Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What was Julia Child's favorite soup? ›

Soup was one of Julia Child's favorite things to eat, and reportedly, her absolute favorite was vichyssoise. Leek and potato soup, known as potage parmentier in French, is a classic base soup recipe. What sets vichyssoise apart is the addition of cream—and the fact that it is traditionally served chilled.

If the potatoes are pulverized too thoroughly, they will leach gelatinized starch into the broth. This starch will bond with the broth, causing the body of the soup to become slimy.

Allicin, one of these sulfur compounds, neutralizes free radicals. Hence, it makes leeks a potent anti-inflammatory food. Allicin also protects us against viruses and cancer and supports heart health. Leeks are high in inulin, a soluble fiber that benefits our colon health.

Potato Leek Soup Serving Suggestions

Jack and I often enjoy this potato and leek soup on its own, with good crusty bread, homemade focaccia, or dinner rolls on the side. If you're craving a larger meal, I recommend pairing it with a salad.

Child's Boeuf Bourguignon recipe was featured in one of the earliest episodes of The French Chef and has become a classic among the many Child enthusiasts at GBH. In fact, GBH News host Henry Santoro concludes there's no better recipe for the dish.

Vichyssoise. Well-known as one of Julia Child's favorite dishes, this chilled leek and potato soup is startling in its simplicity. Aside from the leek, potato, and water, Child's version of the soup calls for barely any additional ingredients.

Add the leeks to the pot, lowering the heat if necessary and saute for 10-15 minutes , or until soft and translucent. Be careful not to burn the leeks, as they will impart a bitter taste to the soup. The excess liquid from cleaning the leeks should help prevent any burning.

It looks as though some of your potatoes might have got a bit scorched. Did you fry them off before adding the liquid? The colour from the browned potatoes could be what is turning it brown.

There's no correct way but some methods provide difference outcomes. I normally dice my potatoes quite small, boil them on their own and add to the soup at the end. That way they are perfectly cooked. On the other hand you can add them with other vegetables and the potatoes will begin to crumble once they are cooked.

Leeks are a healthy food and, like most foods, can be eaten in moderation as part of a balanced diet. Eating large amounts of leeks, however, can have some negative effects. First, leeks are high in fiber and can cause digestive discomfort, bloating, and gas if consumed in large amounts.

Are leeks better than onions in soup? ›

Leeks have a more subtle, slightly sweeter flavor than onions. So you would use them when you want some onion flavor, but don't want it to fight with the rest of the ingredients. One of my favorite examples of this is soup made with leeks, potatoes and cod, in fish stock, finished with cream or half and half.

Leeks have a variety of biological active effects, such as anti-cancer, anti-inflammation, anti-obesity, anti-oxidation and anti-bacteria, but the action mechanisms of these biological effects are still unclear.

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

It's really not a good idea to leave it out at room temperature. I've left stock on the stove overnight at a simmer with the lid on. This keeps it hot enough that microbes won't grow but traps evaporation so it can't go dry. It is ok to put the soup in the refrigerator in a fresh room temperature container, covered.

Reheat the soup to a gentle simmer (add some extra stock at this point if the soup is too thick for your liking), then pour into warmed bowls. Drizzle the remaining cream over each serving, top with a little pile of buttered leeks and a scattering of chives and black pepper and serve at once.

Boeuf Bourguignon

This hearty beef stew from the pages of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" is, hands down, Child's most infamous dish. (Click here for Food.com's rendtition of boeuf bourguignon.)

By Nigella Lawson. Julia Child wrote that the Gateau Reine de Saba was the first French cake she ever ate. My version is a bit simpler to make than hers. I melt the chocolate with liquid, and I use all ground almonds rather than the traditional mixture of flour and almonds.

Their first stop was a restaurant called La Couronne. Julia ordered the simple, classic French dish—fillet of sole cooked with butter, lemon, parsley and flour. The meal proved to be life-changing, sparking her culinary curiosity and a desire to learn French cooking.

Julia Child's First Encounter with Sole Menuiére

Sole Meuniére entered culinary fame as the dish that captured her heart on that first day in Rouen as she and her husband Paul headed to Paris in 1948.