Vichyssoise

Yield > 6
Keys : Soups Stews French France European Mediterranean
Ingredients :
3 cup sliced peeled baking potatoes
3 cup sliced cleaned leeks, white
and
pale green parts only
6 cup chicken stock, homemade,
or low-sodium commercial
1/2 cup cream - (to 1 cup)
Salt to taste
Freshly-ground white pepper
to taste
2 tbl minced chives
Method :
• Combine the potatoes, leeks and stock in a large pot.
Bring to a boil, then simmer, partly covered, until the
vegetables are very soft, about 45 minutes.
• Cool slightly, then puree in a blender, food processor or
food mill. Remove the soup to a covered container and chill at
least 4 hours or up to 3 days.
• Before serving, add as much cream as desired and
season with salt and pepper.
• Serve in shallow bowls and garnish with chives.
• This recipe yields 6 to 8 servings.
• Chilled Watercress Soup: Decrease leeks to 2 cups; add
leaves from 1 bunch washed and drained watercress 5 minutes
before cooking time is finished. Omit chives and garnish with
watercress sprigs.
• Chilled Spinach Soup: Proceed as above, substituting
leaves from 1 bunch spinach for the watercress and adding 1
chopped garlic clove to the potato/leek mixture. Add a few
grindings of nutmeg.
• Chilled Pepper Soup: Decrease leeks to 2 cups; add 1/2
to 1 cup peeled, roasted red bell peppers (prepared at home or
from a jar) before pureeing the soup. Garnish with chopped
chives or chopped chervil.
• Chilled Asparagus Soup: Decrease leeks to 2 cups; add 1
minced garlic clove to the potato/leek mixture, and add 1 to 1
1/2 cups blanched and cut-up asparagus spears along with 3
tablespoons nonfat dry milk to the mixture 5 minutes before
cooking time is up. For a low-calorie version, skip the cream
enrichment or use only a tablespoon or two - the nonfat dry
milk makes this creamy without adding fat.
• Comments: Using this, from "Mastering the Art of French
Cooking," by Simone Beck, Louisette Bertholle and Julia Child
(Alfred A. Knopf), as a Master Recipe, you can prepare a
number of delicious summer soups.