Classic Vichyssoise Chilled Leek And Potato Soup Recipes

POTATO LEEK SOUP (VICHYSSOISE)

Steps:

• Melt butter in soup pot over medium-high heat. Add leeks and salt; cook until leeks begin to wilt. Reduce heat to medium or medium-low and cook until soft and almost pastelike, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Place potatoes in the pot; add chicken broth. Adjust heat so mixture simmers slowly. Cook until potatoes are soft, about 30 minutes. Puree mixture with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender. Whisk in heavy cream and creme fraiche. Heat over medium heat. Add more salt, if needed, and cayenne pepper. Do not boil.
• Serve with a drizzle of creme fraiche and a sprinkle of chopped chives.

CLASSIC VICHYSSOISE SOUP

Steps:

• In a heavy bottomed pot, or dutch oven, heat the olive oil and the butter, over medium high heat.
• Sauté the onion until translucent (about 2 minutes).
• Add the leeks and sauté until soft (about 4-5 min).
• Add the potatoes and sauté with the onions and leeks for a couple of minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
• Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
• Using an immersion hand blender, puree the soup until smooth. Alternatively, you can work in batches using a regular blender.
• Add the heavy cream and turn the heat back up to medium. Cook for about 5 minutes so it thickens a little.
• Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Add a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. Remove from heat.
• Wait for the soup to cool down to room temperature and chill for at least one hour before serving (overnight is better).
• Garnish with some chopped chives and serve.

CHILLED POTATO AND LEEK SOUP - VICHYSSOISE

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan, over medium-high heat, combine the leeks, green onions and 1/2 cup of the chicken stock.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook until the vegetables have wilted and begin to soften, approximately 8 minutes.
• Add the diced potatoes and remaining 2 1/2 cups chicken stock, replace the cover and cook until vegetables are very soft, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Remove from heat, uncover and allow the soup to stand for 15 minutes to cool slightly; stir in the butter.
• Very carefully transfer the hot vegetable mixture to blender container, puree until very smooth and in several batches if needed.
• Season with salt and pepper; allow the soup to cool to room temperature before placing in the refrigerator.
• When cool, cover and place in refrigerate until well chilled, 3 to 4 hours or serve at room temperature; adjusting seasoning if needed.
• To serve, divide into individual serving bowls and garnish with some of the reserved green onion tops that have been thinly sliced.

CLASSIC VICHYSSOISE SOUP RECIPE AND HISTORY

Steps:

• Trim and clean leeks (see below); thinly slice the white portion.
• Cut and clean leeks - You need to thoroughly clean a leek because dirt can become trapped in its many layers. Trim the root portion right above the base (cutting too far up the stalk will remove the part that holds the layers together). Slice off the fibrous green tops, leaving only the white-to-light green stalk; discard greens. Cut the leek in half lengthwise, then cut according to your recipe (slice, chop or dice).
• In a large soup pot over medium heat, saute the leeks, onions, and butter until tender. Stir in potatoes, vegetable or chicken broth, and salt. Increase heat and bring just to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and let cool 10 to 15 minutes.
• In a food processor or blender, puree cooled mixture until smooth. The soup can be made 1 to 2 days in advance up until this stage. Refrigerate until ready to finish.
• When ready to serve, return mixture to soup pot. Stir in milk and cream; cook over low heat, another 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt. NOTE: Thin to desired consistency with the milk. Remove from heat and serve in soup bowls; garnish with chives.
• This soup can be served either hot or cold.
• Makes 6 to 8 servings.

VICHYSSOISE: CHILLED POTATO AND LEEK SOUP

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a large pot over medium-low heat add the butter.
• When melted, add the leeks and gently sweat (you don't want them to brown) until they are soft (about 5 minutes).
• Add the potatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer.
• Simmer until potatoes are soft and easily pierced with a fork (about 20 minutes). Remove from heat and allow to cool for a couple of minutes.
• Add the mixture to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Do this in small batches (no more than half full) as the hot soup creates pressure and can spray out.
• Return the soup to the pot and whisk in the cream. Stirring all the time, bring the soup to a boil and immediately turn down to a simmer. Simmer for about 5 minutes and remove from heat. If the soup is too thick, add a little water or broth.
• Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper.
• Cool quickly to room temperature, cover with plastic, then refrigerate until chilled (preferably overnight).
• Just before serving, sprinkle chives over the top.

CLASSIC VICHYSSOISE

Steps:

• In a large stock pot melt butter over low heat. Add leeks and onion, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
• Add potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Add thyme, marjoram, bay leaf and stir well. Cover pot and continue to cook for 12 minutes.
• Add chicken stock and bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook, partially covered for 30 minutes.
• Puree soup in blender or food processor and cool.
• Prior to serving add cream. If you are serving this soup warm you need to reheat the soup slowly so that the cream does not change consistency.

CLASSIC VICHYSSOISE (CHILLED LEEK AND POTATO SOUP)

Steps:

• Combine the leeks, potatoes, milk, and 2 cups water in a 4-quart pot.
• Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add 1-1/2 teaspoons salt, reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer until a potato slice falls apart when you poke it with a fork, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the cream, and let cool briefly.
• Purée the soup with an immersion blender.
• Strain the puréed soup. Let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin, and then refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
• Before serving, thin the soup with water or milk if necessary-it should be the consistency of heavy cream. Serve cold, and garnish with chives.