My 20 year old daughter is a vegan who also doesn’t eat gluten or onions. Gluten I can cook without. There are plenty of options. Meat is optional, too. BUT ONIONS? I cook with onions almost every day. So, when she comes over for family dinner, I always try to have something here for her to eat, and this soup is such a winner, I’ve started making it for the whole family. (With some bacon on the side.)
- 3 large leeks
- 2 Tbsp butter or your favorite vegetarian substitute
- 4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarian option)*
- 2 lbs potatoes (Yukon gold or Russet), peeled, diced into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more to taste
- Pinch of dried marjoram
- 1 or 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- Sprinkle of Tabasco sauce or other red chili sauce
- White or black pepper to taste
Method
1 Clean the leeks. Cut them lengthwise, fan them open under running water to dislodge any dirt or mud hiding inside. Cut off the tough dark green tops and discard (either compost or freeze for making stock). Slice the white and light green parts of the leeks crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices. (See How to Clean Leeks)
2 Melt butter on medium heat in a 3 to 4 quart thick-bottomed pot. Add the chopped leeks, stir to coat with the butter. Cover the pot and lower the heat to low, cook for 10 minutes until the leeks are softened. Check to make sure the leeks are not browning.
3 Add the broth, diced potatoes, bay leaf, marjoram, thyme, and a teaspoon of salt to the pot. Increase the heat to high to bring to a simmer, then lower the heat to maintain a low simmer, and cook for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through.
4 Remove and discard the bay leaf and thyme sprig. Use an immersion blender or standing blender to blend about half of the soup if you want a chunky soup, or all of it if you would like your soup to be more smooth. Add the parsley, and cook a few minutes more. Add a few dashes of Tabasco to taste. Add freshly ground pepper and more salt to taste. (Potatoes soak up salt, so you may need to add more salt than you expect.)
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