Winding down the market

The City Market is almost done for the year but last Saturday was a beautiful day in Charlottesville (78 degrees, a record high for that day in December) so I made my usual rounds, expecting not to see much in the way of fresh produce. Instead, I was surprised to find a few vendors with a lot of produce. I picked up acorn squash, apples, 2 dozen eggs, broccoli, and the leeks and potatoes to make this soup, which is one of your Mom's favorites. It's very tasty, given that all the ingredients you need are laid out on the cutting board in the picture below. It's especially good served with crusty bread, some of which you can put in the bowl before pouring the soup over it if you like.

Pureed soup

Potato-Leek Soup

Adapted from Simple French Food (1974) by Richard Olney and Simply French (1991) by Patricia Wells and Joël Robuchon

Time: 50 to 55 minutes, depending whether you puree the soup

1½ pounds potatoes (we’ve used all different kinds, including russets and Red Bliss)
2 to 4 leeks, depending on the size—you should have about 1½ cups sliced leeks
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1½ quarts (1,415 grams) water
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon heavy cream (optional)
freshly ground white pepper

    1. Wash the potatoes well, then peel them. Quarter the potatoes lengthwise, then slice them about ¼-inch thick.
    2. Cut off the tough dark green parts of the leeks, leaving the white and tender light green parts. Trim off a very thin slice at the root end. Halve the leeks lengthwise. Holding the leeks at the root end, wash them well under cold running water, spreading the layers as you work. They have a lot of dirt and grit in there so be thorough. When they’re clean, slice crosswise into half moons about ⅛-inch thick. (This is how I do it. There are other ways to wash and prepare leeks.)
    3. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a stockpot or large saucier over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring often, until they are tender but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add the potatoes, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer gently until the potatoes are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. A potato pressed against the side of the pan with a wooden spoon should crush easily.
    4. When the potatoes are ready, you can puree the soup, if you like, with an immersion blender, food processor, or blender. Or you can eat it chunky, without pureeing, which is what we like better. Off heat, stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and the cream, if using. Taste and adjust for salt. Serve immediately, seasoning with pepper to taste at the table. Serves 4 to 6.