Six modest ingredients—potatoes, leeks, cream, parsley, salt and water—produce a flavorful first course for a simple meal in my take on Julia Child’s classic potato leek soup. Recipe below.
As much as I love Thanksgiving, I’m always kind of happy to see it in the rear view mirror. Every year, it seems to become a bigger orgy of culinary excess and overload. And I’m not just talking gluttony here. Food magazines are taken hostage for an entire month—you’re hard pressed to find a single recipe that doesn’t include turkey, sweet potatoes or pumpkin. Ditto most newspaper food sections and online food sites. Articles and recipes abound, urging you to make this year’s feast more traditional, more alternative, more sumptuous, more festive, more more.
Our Thanksgiving dinner was wonderful, with the traditional bird and our own non-traditional traditions for sides. But when the figurative smoke cleared and I started thinking about what to post this week, I wanted something palate-cleansingly simple. Not just the finished dish, but simple in its preparation as well. Julia’s six-ingredient potage parmentier—potato leek soup—seemed just right.
Julia herself said of potage parmentier that it “smells good, tastes good, and is simplicity itself to make.” While leeks, a mild-mannered member of the onion family, represent half the produce in this soup, it doesn’t taste “oniony.” It’s just a satisfyingly big-flavored soup tasting of the garden.
In Mastering The Art of French Cooking, finally a best seller thanks to a certain movie, she makes the aforementioned six-ingredient version, then offers a few variations on it. One of the variations was the beginning for my Watercress Vichyssoise. Seeking something simpler—and warmer—this time, I returned to the original recipe. And of course I tinkered with it, but only a little.
Potage Parmentier [Potato Leek Soup]
4 to 6 first course servings
3 cups sliced leeks [2 or 3 leeks, white and pale green parts]
3 cups peeled, diced potatoes [I used Yukon Gold]
5 to 6 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus extra
3 tablespoons half & half or whipping cream
chopped parsley for garnish [or chives or scallion tops—see Kitchen Notes]
Clean and prepare leeks. Depending on the size of the leeks—specifically the white and pale green parts—you’ll need 2 or 3. Buy 3. You can always find a use for leeks. Slice off root end and most of the green tops. Slice leeks in half lengthwise. Rinse under running water, fanning layers to wash out any trapped grit. Slice crosswise in 1/2-inch pieces. If you absolutely can’t find leeks, Julia says you can substitute yellow onions. Who am I to argue?
Put leeks and potatoes in a 3 to 4-quart saucepan. Add 5 cups of water, then add another cup if needed. Leeks will float, so stir to see if you have enough water to simmer the vegetables before adding the extra cup. Julia called for 8 cups of water; to me, it seemed the resulting soup would be thinner than I wanted. As it was, the 6 cups I used made it plenty thin. Add salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 45 to 50 minutes.
Purée the soup. I used an immersion blender—you can also use a food processor. Here, Julia and I differ. See Kitchen Notes for her thoughts. With the heat off, stir in the half & half or cream. Adjust the seasoning—you’ll almost definitely need more salt. Transfer to a tureen or individual bowls and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve.
Kitchen Notes
Choose your garnish. The original recipe called for either parsley or chives. The green tops of scallions would also work if chives are hard to find. I went with parsley because I liked its fresh, slightly peppery note with this soup.
To blend or not to blend. Julia prefers a food mill to a blender [or, one supposes, the more modern food processor]. We don’t own a food mill, but are in negotiations with Santa. As an alternative, she suggests mashing the vegetables with a fork. I tried our excellent potato masher, and the results were laughable. If you don’t have a food mill, go with your processor or immersion blender.
Get a little fancier. But only a little. “To change the formula a bit,” Julia says, “add carrots, string beans, cauliflower, broccoli, or anything else you think would go with it, and vary the proportions as you wish.” Personally, I think just slightly tweaking the original is simply delicious.
What a perfect post-Thanksgiving dish! I always have such good associations with this soup, as my mother used to make it for me when I was feeling under the weather. It came in particularly handy after I had my wisdom teeth removed…no chewing necessary! She occasionally added sorrel to the mix as well and the results were delightful.
Oh goody, I’ll use my mandoline. But no stock, just water?
Laura—I totally understand. It really does have a comforting quality to it. With the leftovers, I cut up a couple more potatoes, cooked them in it and left them in chunks for a “meatier” soup. The starch from the added potatoes also thickened it. Unfortunately, it became much more of a potato soup, subduing the leeks’ flavor. I think next time I would add one potato and an onion. Okay, I want this right now.
Altadenahiker—Yeah, the salt stands in for stock, as does the cream, which adds the fat content to give it a slightly velvety finish. And by leaving out stock, you have a vegetarian soup. In Julia’s version, you use a tablespoon of salt with eight cups of water. So when you’re adjusting the salt at the end, be generous.
I can always count on you, Terry, to come up with the perfect dish at the perfect time. Seasonal, but an antidote. Thanks for this one – I needed it!
I can’t wait to try this with leeks! I just had my mother’s version of potato soup for dinner last night. Potatoes, sweet onion, and celery. We finish it off with a little cream and butter. It’s the soup my daughter (and now granddaughter, too) always wants when she’s not feeling well. I like your “grown-up” version. I’m hoping Santa will bring me “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.” {BTW, I did find your Cherry Orange Loaf Cake entry at Bon Appetit’s Blog Envy Bake-Off.}
Oh this sounds comforting and simple. Love that you’ve shared this with us!
Toni—Apparently, this was a go-to soup for Julia. I can see why.
Dani—Actually, your mom’s version [and now yours] sounds plenty grown up, and just the kind of variation Julia suggested in her original.
Thanks, Alta!
I’m making this tomorrow. I knew those leeks jumped into my cart for a reason.
I love your site! My daughter-in-law recommend it, she follows it regularly. I am relatively new to the blogosphere so I still have a lot to learn. The soup sounds delish! I plan on making it soon.
Thanks,
Sandy
Lou—Be careful with those jumping leeks. They can make a real mess in the kitchen.
Welcome to Blue Kitchen, Sandy—and to the blogosphere!
This looks simply delicious! I must try this one out!