Creamy Vegetable Soup

Creamy Vegetable Soup

This recipe evolved as I was preparing it.  I started out making a recipe for  "Hearty Vegetable Chowder" I found in Country Cooks Magazine.  As I was making this recipe, I realized my kids weren't going to touch the soup with visible  pieces of leeks no matter how good it was.   The original recipe had you puree one cup of the veggies. I took it a step further and pureed the whole batch.  I added more liquid about 1/2 cup additional chicken broth and an additional 1/2 cup of half-and-half.  I like my cream soups a little on the thick side.   If you prefer a thinner soup, add more liquid.  Other than the changes I made above, I followed the recipe.  The main ingredients are leeks, carrots, celery , and russet potatoes.  These veggies are cooked in chicken broth that is seasoned with fresh thyme, garlic, and a bay leaf.  Once the vegetables were tender,  I  let them sit for a while to cool then I pureed them.  I returned the purred veggies back to the pot, and added 1 cup of half-and-half, some fresh chives, and lemon juice.  The lemon juice really kicks up the the flavor of the soup.  I tried a small sample of the soup without the lemon juice and the flavor wasn't as good.  Finally, season the soup to your liking and serve.
I loved the beautiful autumn color of the soup.  The soup was hearty and very flavorful. It had a lovely velvety texture from the pureed leeks and potatoes.  It had  about a cup of this soup leftover -  which I have claimed for my lunch.


Creamy Vegetable Soup
Adapted From Hearty Vegetable Chowder Cook's Country Magazine

Ingredients:
6 slices bacon, chopped
1 pound leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced thin, and washed thoroughly
4 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 celery ribs, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions:
1. Cook bacon in Dutch oven over medium heat until fat has rendered and bacon is nearly crispy, 7 to 9 minutes.  Add leeks, carrots, celery, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt and cook until leeks are translucent, about 8 minutes.  Add potatoes and cook, stirring constantly, until starch begins to release and coat vegetables, about 2 minutes.  Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add 4 1/2 cups of the broth and the bay leaf.  Bring to a boil.

Veggies Cooking

2. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.  Discard bay leaf and let soup cool about 5 minutes.  Transfer the soup in batches to a stand blender and puree.   Stir pureed soup back into  the pot.  Stir in half-and-half, chives, and lemon juice.  If you need, add more chicken broth to thin the soup.  Gently rewarm soup.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve.


Makes 4 to 6 servings

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