Things are pretty sleepy here lately but thought I'd share this soup recipe. It's another good one from Ina Garten. As she says, it's basically Vichyssoise served hot. This was really tasty...roasting the veggies adds a lot of flavor. I used sour cream instead of creme fraiche...no problem. I used less than 8 ounces...maybe about 6. Also, a number of reviews mentioned using milk instead of cream with great results. Half and half would be another option.

I topped the soup with crumbled bacon instead of making the fried shallots. I think you could also roast the shallots instead of frying them.

I always use less salt than Ina. Watch the shallots closely while roasting...they can get charred quickly. I'm sure russet potatoes would be fine with this, too.

Roasted Potato Leek Soup

(Recipe from Ina Garten - Serves 6-8)

2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
4 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts, cleaned of all sand (4 leeks)
1/4 cup good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups baby arugula, lightly packed
1/2 cup dry white wine, plus extra for serving
6 to 7 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade (page 61)
3/4 cup heavy cream
8 ounces creme fraiche
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish (see note)
Crispy shallots, optional (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Combine the potatoes and leeks on a sheet pan in a single layer. Add the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss to coat the vegetables evenly. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, turning them with a spatula a few times during cooking, until very tender. Add the arugula and toss to combine. Roast for 4 to 5 more minutes, until the arugula is wilted. Remove the pan from the oven and placer over two burners. Stir in the wine and 1 cup of the chicken stock and cook over low heat, scraping up any crispy roasted bits sticking to the pan.

In batches, transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor fitted with the steel blade, adding the pan liquid and about 5 cups of the chicken stock to make a puree. Pour the puree into a large pot or Dutch oven. Continue to puree the vegetables in batches until they're all done and combined in the large pot. Add enough of the remaining 1 to 2 cups of stock to make a thick soup. Add the cream, creme fraiche, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and check the seasonings.

When ready to serve, reheat the soup gently and whisk in 2 tablespoons white wine and the Parmesan cheese. Serve hot with an extra grating of Parmesan cheese and crispy shallots, if using.


Crispy Shallots

Makes about 1/2 cup

1-1/2 cups olive oil or vegetable oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 to 6 shallots, peeled and sliced into thin rings

Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it reaches 220 degrees on a candy thermometer.

Reduce the heat to low, add the shallots, and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until they are a rich golden brown. The temperature should stay below 260 degrees. Stir the shallots occasionally to make sure they brown evenly. Remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon, drain well, and spread out to cool on paper towels. Once they have dried and crisped, they can be stored at room temperature, covered, for several days.

Note from Ina: For this soup, I grind the Parmesan cheese in a food processor fitted with the steel blade; but for the garnish, I prefer to grate it on the large holes of a box grater. Otherwise, the garnish just melts into the soup before you can serve it.