Light Vichyssoise
by Sigona's Home Deliveries: Sept. 17, 2020
Soup on a hot day? YES! Vichyssoise is a creamy, chilled soup made from potatoes, onions, and leeks, perfect for warm summer days. Traditional vichyssoise is loaded with cream, and while delicious, we’ve adapted a lighter version from Simply Recipes for you below.
In this recipe, we used an immersion blender, but if you don’t have one, you can also use a regular blender. As you’ll be working with hot contents, be careful to work in batches, filling the blender no more than ⅓, and hold the top of the blender down while blending.
Ingredients:
4 Tbsp butter
4-5 cups sliced leeks (about 4 large leeks), white and light green parts only, cleaned
1 yellow onion, chopped
2-3 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
6 cups chicken stock (Vegetable stock or water can be replaced to make this vegetarian. If using just water, add salt to taste.)
½ cup sour cream
½ cup heavy cream
Pinch of nutmeg
Chopped fresh chives for garnish
Directions:
- Melt butter in a large, heavy bottom pot on medium heat until foam subsides and just begins to brown.
- Add onions and leeks to pot, and stir to coat with butter. Sauté about 5 minutes until translucent and wilted, but making sure they don’t take on any color.
- Add the potatoes, stir and let cook a minute or two, stirring occasionally.
- Add the chicken stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook slightly covered for 35-40 minutes, until potatoes and leaks are very soft. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.
- Using an immersion blender in the same pot, puree soup until completely smooth.
- Whisk in sour cream, heavy cream, and nutmeg. Return to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook 5 minutes.
- Transfer soup to a mixing bowl and allow to cool to room temperature. You can use an ice bath to cool the soup quicker. After the soup is room temperature, you can cover with plastic wrap and move into fridge to chill.
This soup is served best just below room temperature and not too chilled, so we recommend pulling it out of the fridge a few minutes before serving, allowing it to warm slightly. Garnish with chopped chives and serve in chilled bowls.