Silky Potato Leek Soup

Steps

1. Cut the dark green tops and the root ends off the leeks.
2. Halve the leeks lengthwise, then

   slice (how to slice)

   Slice Cut food into flat pieces of the same thickness. 1. Give round food a flat side to sit on.2. Hold it with your fingertips curled under.3. Cut with long strokes, pushing the knife forward and down rather than straight down.4. Move your guiding hand back the same distance each time so every slice matches. Done when: The slices are even. For meat, slicing across the grain (across the lines of muscle) gives the tenderest bite. Safety: Keep the fingertips of your guiding hand curled under, knuckles toward the blade, and set the board on a damp towel so it can't slide. Slice hot roasts on a board with a groove for the juices.How to slice evenly: mistakes to avoid

   them thinly crosswise.
3. Put the sliced leeks in a big bowl of cold water and swish to loosen any grit. Lift them out into a colander so the grit stays in the bowl.
4. Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, until very soft but not browned.
   ⏱ Soften leeks: 10 min
5. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant.
   ⏱ Garlic: 1 min
6. Add the potatoes, broth, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper and bring to a

   boil (how to boil)

   Boil Heat liquid until big bubbles rise and break all over the surface. 1. Use a pot big enough that the water fills it no more than three quarters.2. Cover it to boil faster, over high heat.3. Salt pasta or vegetable water once it boils.4. Add the food, stir, and bring it back to a boil before you start timing. Done when: A rolling boil keeps bubbling hard even when you stir. Safety: Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove, and drain pasta into a colander in the sink, pouring away from you. Steam burns fast: lift lids and foil away from your face, tipping the far edge up first.How to boil water for pasta and vegetables: mistakes to avoid

   .
7. Lower the heat and

   simmer (how to simmer)

   Simmer Cook liquid just below a boil, with small bubbles breaking the surface now and then. 1. Bring the liquid up over medium-high heat.2. As soon as bubbles rise steadily, turn the heat down.3. Adjust until only a few small bubbles break the surface every second or two.4. Stir now and then and check that it hasn't crept back to a boil. Done when: You see lazy, small bubbles, not a rolling boil. A "bare" simmer has just a bubble here and there. Safety: Steam burns fast: lift lids and foil away from your face, tipping the far edge up first.How to simmer: mistakes to avoid

   until the potatoes are very tender.
   ⏱ Simmer: 20 min
8. Remove the bay leaf.
9. Blend with an immersion blender in short bursts until smooth. Blending too long can make potatoes gluey.
10. Stir in the cream and warm through without boiling.
    ⏱ Add cream: 2 min
11. Taste for salt and serve topped with chives.

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Tips

• Leeks trap a lot of dirt between their layers, so don't skip the soak.
• Most broths are gluten-free, but some contain wheat. Check the label if that matters to you.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 4 days. Freeze before adding the cream, up to 3 months.

Make ahead

Make the soup through blending up to 3 days ahead. Reheat and stir in the cream before serving.

Cook once, eat twice: Double it (12 servings instead of 6), eat half and freeze the other half. It keeps 3 months frozen, by the storage note above. Print a freezer label · More freezer meals

How long leftovers keep, and freezing and reheating: leftovers and storage. In season: potatoes (August to November), leeks (October to March).