Recipe By: “From Julia Child’s Kitchen” 1975
Preparation Time: 2:00 # of Servings: 6
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
3 cups leeks — sliced
3 tablespoons flour
6 cups hot water
1 tablespoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 cups potatoes — sliced
2 cups heavy cream
Directions:
Soup Base: Melt butter over moderate heat in heavy-bottomed 3-4 quart saucepan. Stir in the leeks, cover pan, and cook slowly for 5 minutes without browning. Then blend in the flour, and stir over moderate heat for 2 minutes to cook the flour without browning it either. Remove from heat, let cool a moment, and gradually beat in a cup or so of hot water. Blend thoroughly with the flour and vegetables, then stir in the rest of the water. Stir in salt and pepper and the potatoes. Bring to a boil, and simmer partially covered for about 40 minutes, until vegetables are thoroughly tender.
For a peasant-type soup, mash the vegetables in the pan with a mixing fork or potato masher. For a smoother texture, put through medium blade of a food mill.
Soup base may be completed hours or days ahead to this point; when cool, cover and refrigerate or freeze; reheat to simmer before proceeding.
Final enrichments: To serve the soup, stir in as much of the cream as you wish. Taste carefully, adding more salt and pepper, as needed. Off heat, and by tablespoons if you wish, stir in the butter. Sprinkle with parsley.