Servings: 6-8
Source: “”Julia Child’s Kitchen””, Julia Child
Ingredients
3 Tb butter in a 3- to 4-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan
3 cups sliced or minced leeks (white part only) or onions, or a combination of both
3 Tb flour
2 quarts hot water (or 4 to 6 cups water plus milk added at end of cooking)
1 Tb salt; pepper to taste
Optional: A cup or so of tender green part of the leeks, sliced or minced
4 cups (about 1½ pounds) potatoes, peeled, and roughly chopped or neatly diced – in this latter case use “boiling”” potatoes that keep their shape
1/3 to 1/2 cup heavy cream or sour cream, and/or 2 to 3 Tb butter
2 to 3 Tb minced fresh parsley and/or chives
Directions
The soup base.
Melt butter over moderate heat, stir in the leeks and/or onions, 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. (If you want to use milk, add it at the end of the cooking-it will curdle if you add it now.) Stir in the salt and pepper, optional green of leek, 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.
Final enrichments.
To serve the soup as is, stir in milk if you are using it, bring to the simmer, and blend 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. Decorate each serving with a spoonful more cream, again if you wish to, and a sprinkling of herbs.