4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
5 leeks, trimmed, cleaned, and finely chopped
2 ½ pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped into small dice
8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped watercress (well-packed), plus additional for garnish
½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, plus additional for garnish
dash of heavy cream, optional
Ingredients
Few dishes are earthier, more comforting, or supportive, though still luxurious, than potato-leek soup. Serves 6 to 8 as a starter
WATERCRESS LEEK SOUP
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and sauté, until golden and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the leeks and sauté, stirring attentively, until they are fully soft, 10 to 12 minutes.
Add the potatoes to the garlic and leeks, and sauté briefly until they begin to sweat, about 3 minutes.
Add the stock, bay leaves, thyme, salt, and pepper. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Cover the pot, lower the heat, and simmer until the potatoes are thoroughly soft, about 20 minutes.
Remove and discard the bay leaves. Add the watercress and parsley to the pot and stir; use an immersion blender to puree the soup.
Ladle into bowls, and garnish each with a few watercress and parsley leaves before serving.
Instructions
