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"OT Cooking Club - Potato Leek Soup (vegan!)"
Posted by J Slice on 11-30-09 at 05:28 PM
Apologies for the lateness, folks.

Now that the cold, nasty weather has finally approached Philly, I feel like it'd be a grand idea to share one of my favorite soup recipes. Crock pot is recommended (unless you are more adept at sensing cook-times than I am, which shouldn't be too hard), and a blender of some sort is required.

I make the soup vegan - you can choose to substitute with actual milk or chicken stock, if you like.

You will need:

3-4 medium sized potatoes (I like the gold-fleshed variety, but all work fine) - peeled, in about 1.5" dices
2 leeks
1 medium sized onion - finely chopped
1/2 cup soy/rice milk
1 1/2, and about 1/4 cups vegetable stock
water
1 T vegetable oil
1 tsp thyme
1 1/2 tsp dill (or 3 fresh sprigs)
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp black pepper

frozen corn or asparagus tips, if desired

1. You will only need the white parts of the leeks. Hack off the green bits and bulb-end, and discard. Slice the leeks into "coins" about 1/4" thick - that is, fairly skinny.

2. Heat up the vegetable oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Dump the leek slices in the pan, and sautee until soft, about 5-6 minutes. Put the cooked leeks in the crock pot.

3. Add the 1/4 of stock into the pan and deglaze over medium heat, being sure to scrape up any brown leek-bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan. When liquid is mostly cooked down, add whatever's left in the pan to the crock pot.

4. Add the finely chopped onion to the crock pot, and on top of that, add the diced, peeled potatoes.

5. Pour in the soy/rice/cow/goat/aardvark milk, as well as the remaining 1 1/2 cups of stock. Add water until all the food is covered.

6. Add thyme, dill, pepper, and salt. Stir, put the lid on the crock pot, and cook - 3-4 hours on high, or 6-9 on low.

7. After everything is all nice and cooked and softened - you'll need to blend it all together. This is very easy if you have an immersion blender, and less easy if you have a conventional blender. I do, and I've gotten used to it. Just make sure you have a big pot to pour the blended soup into once it's nice and liquidy. At any rate, blend in SMALL batches. This is vitally important. You do NOT want your kitchen coated in very, very hot soup. Once you've got silky, potatoey, leeky goodness, you can enjoy.

If you are so inclined, add some frozen corn niblets or asparagus tips to the hot blended soup. The heat of the soup should thaw them out pretty well, and they add some texture and vegetable goodness!

Enjoy with crusty bread - makes a wonderful lunch, and is basically the best thing ever if it is rotten outside.


Because this is closer to how I look...

Table of contents
Messages in this discussion
"RE: OT Cooking Club - Potato Leek Soup (vegan!)"
Posted by Ahtumbreez on 11-30-09 at 05:46 PM
Yay. I love soup. And it's turned out a little chilly this week so this will be perfect.

I'll have to get some leeks but I think I have everything else on hand.

Slice - I don't think I knew you were vegan.

"RE: OT Cooking Club - Potato Leek Soup (vegan!)"
Posted by J Slice on 11-30-09 at 06:01 PM
Slice - I don't think I knew you were vegan.

Far from it. I enjoy most non-porcine meats.

I just don't eat dairy, and happened to have vegetable stock on hand when I made it - I found the veggie-ness of it absolutely delicious.


Because this is closer to how I look...

"*wanders into thread*"
Posted by IceCat on 11-30-09 at 07:21 PM

*takes a leek*

*wanders out*

"RE: *wanders into thread*"
Posted by moonbaby on 12-01-09 at 11:52 PM
Shamwow!

"Hmmmm"
Posted by IceCat on 12-02-09 at 10:05 AM
They should take the material they use to make Shamwow and use it to make an "adult undergarment". A cross between Depends and Shamwow... De-Pow? Sham-Pends?
"RE: OT Cooking Club - Potato Leek Soup (vegan!)"
Posted by weltek on 12-01-09 at 12:21 PM
Crap! Last night I just thawed out some potato-leek soup I had frozen from last month. I'll put your recipe on the shelf for another time. I'll still enjoy the food porn in the thread.



-A Tribetastic Creation

"RE: OT Cooking Club - Potato Leek Soup (vegan!)"
Posted by Ahtumbreez on 12-01-09 at 01:12 PM
You could have just taken a picture and called it Slicey's.

Rob's moaning about all the vegetarian dishes coming out of OT lately. He's not a potato guy, so this soup is going to be "soup to go with a steak" one day this week.

"RE: OT Cooking Club - Potato Leek Soup (vegan!)"
Posted by J Slice on 12-01-09 at 01:41 PM
You can throw some shredded chicken into the soup, if you'd like - that works quite well.


Because this is closer to how I look...

"RE: OT Cooking Club - Potato Leek Soup (vegan!)"
Posted by weltek on 12-01-09 at 02:45 PM
Just top it with lots of crumbled bacon, and he'll love it.


-A Tribetastic Creation

"RE: OT Cooking Club - Potato Leek Soup (vegan!)"
Posted by samboohoo on 12-01-09 at 05:02 PM
Rob's got one more coming on the 11th, but you can add meat to it.


Samboobree, brought to life by Arkie


"RE: OT Cooking Club - Potato Leek Soup (vegan!)"
Posted by Ahtumbreez on 12-01-09 at 06:29 PM
I know - I was thinking maybe some shrimp with yours. Poor Rob.

I'm going to keep the soup meatless and just add a steak or maybe a ham steak to his plate. I love potato soup, but because of his aversion to potatoes I don't get them often enough. This is a good excuse.

"RE: OT Cooking Club - Potato Leek Soup (vegan!)"
Posted by Karchita on 12-02-09 at 03:05 AM
This looks really good, Slicey, but in a few days I am heading out of the country for three weeks. I am going just a little crazy with getting everything ready plus all the Christmas stuff, so I'll wait to mnake it after I get back.

It looks similar to several soups I make with a potato-cream base, one with corn, one with bacon and cheese, and another with cauliflower, sour cream, and caraway seeds. I have just started to explore cooking with leeks, so it'll be fun to try and I'll let you know when I do. Thanks!



"RE: OT Cooking Club - Potato Leek Soup (vegan!)"
Posted by Snidget on 12-02-09 at 07:45 AM
*shuffles feet*

Um,

I've never bought leeks. Any hints on picking good ones?

"RE: OT Cooking Club - Potato Leek Soup (vegan!)"
Posted by thndrkttn on 12-02-09 at 10:02 AM
Here's a good site about leeks.

http://startcooking.com/blog/183/Leeks

Make sure to wash them thoroughly! There is a ton of sand in between the layers.

"RE: OT Cooking Club - Potato Leek Soup (vegan!)"
Posted by thndrkttn on 12-02-09 at 09:58 AM
It is going to be nothing short of miserable here on Saturday. (It's going to snow shower!! WTF? I live like 20 minutes from South Carolina! It's NOT supposed to snow here in December.)

So I will be making this and trying to stay warm. Think I might make some homemade baguette to go with it. Looking forward to it! (The meal, not the weather.)

"RE: OT Cooking Club - Potato Leek Soup (vegan!)"
Posted by weltek on 12-02-09 at 11:33 AM
How quickly thee has become a wimp.


-A Tribetastic Creation

"RE: OT Cooking Club - Potato Leek Soup (vegan!)"
Posted by thndrkttn on 12-02-09 at 11:55 AM
Seriously. Thine blood has thinned considerably.

My DH is way worse than I am. I keep wondering how I am ever going to get him back to NY.

"RE: OT Cooking Club - Potato Leek Soup (vegan!)"
Posted by samboohoo on 12-02-09 at 11:39 AM
The only good thing about Saturday's predicted weather is that it makes some decisions easy for me about what to do that day. We had a scheduling conflict with a birthday party and a parade. Boo doesn't do outdoor rainy events very well. Just ask Weltek.


Samboobree, brought to life by Arkie


"RE: OT Cooking Club - Potato Leek Soup (vegan!)"
Posted by thndrkttn on 12-05-09 at 12:36 PM
It's in the crock and cooking! Pics and review to follow...
"Done!"
Posted by thndrkttn on 12-05-09 at 08:10 PM
LAST EDITED ON 12-05-09 AT 08:28 PM (EST)

Yum and it was nice and filling!

We didn't change much except sauteing the onions with the leeks and we left on the skins of the potatoes. We also used vegetable stock as I DO NOT like chicken stock when used for veggie soups. Another change was using half and half and putting it in at the very end, after emulsifying. Lastly, we used Shoepeg corn for texture and a bit of really sharp cheddar for...well, cheese. Love the cheese.


Ingredients:



Leeks:



Leeks cut up:



Leeks and onions cooking:



Deglazing:



Ready to go with all spices:



Finished!

DH had two and half bowls while I was uploading photos. It was great! Thanks, Slicey!

"RE: Done!"
Posted by J Slice on 12-05-09 at 09:39 PM
It hadn't even occurred to me to saute the onions with the leeks - food for thought!

Glad you liked it - your presentation is lovely, too.


I'll take your word re: the cheese. I also don't like chicken stock in my vegetable soups. I might do a carrot ginger cashew jobby next.

"RE: Done!"
Posted by Silvergirl1 on 12-05-09 at 11:22 PM

Tkit, that is a great food prep pictoral. Maybe you should be doing this for a living, or have your own blog?


An IceCat original, 2009

"RE: Done!"
Posted by samboohoo on 12-06-09 at 08:45 AM
Agree with SS about your pictures. My kitchen is in complete shambles right now due to painting. Hopefully it will be done this week since I'm having a dinner party next Sunday.

At least this is a crockpot recipe, so that might help, but I might have to save it for the weekend of the 17th & 18th and will post new kitchen pics as well.


Samboobree, brought to life by Arkie


"RE: Done!"
Posted by Ahtumbreez on 12-06-09 at 09:27 AM
Just looking at your pics I'm ready for another bowl. Nice tkit!
"RE: Done!"
Posted by thndrkttn on 12-06-09 at 09:54 AM
LAST EDITED ON 12-06-09 AT 09:56 AM (EST)

Thank you for the props on the pics! I've been working on it. DH has become lighting guy. He's actually holding a shadeless lamp above the food in a couple of the pics. I've also been reading A LOT of www.thepioneerwoman.com and www.bakerella.com and their food pics are great!

"RE: Done!"
Posted by Ahtumbreez on 12-06-09 at 02:46 PM
You might like this site also t-kit. http://inncuisine.com/

The Brunch Bundles (we call them Bird's Nests) are a great throw together the night before and refrigerate and then throw them in the oven the next morn.

We've had them about 12 different ways, depending what's in the fridge.

"Steak and potatoes "
Posted by Ahtumbreez on 12-06-09 at 09:25 AM
and leeks.

This turned out very good. One of my favorite potato soups, and this I wasn't expecting. I did wind up switching from black pepper to white pepper as Rob and I both like the flavor of the white with potatoes.

One of my top 3 kitchen gadgets at work-



and the meal - I added a little smoked mozzarela shavings but they promptly sunk. It was a good addition though.

"RE: Steak and potatoes "
Posted by weltek on 12-07-09 at 10:16 AM
I like how your mug is smiling at the steak.

-A Tribetastic Creation
"RE: Steak and potatoes "
Posted by Ahtumbreez on 12-07-09 at 12:23 PM
*snort

how do you know it's not smiling at the 'shrooms? are you a 'shroomist?

"RE: Steak and potatoes "
Posted by weltek on 12-07-09 at 02:37 PM
Hey, I'm no dummy. I recongize that we are in the 'shroom loving minority around here, and I don't want to draw attention.



-A Tribetastic Creation

"RE: OT Cooking Club - Potato Leek Soup (vegan!)"
Posted by qwertypie on 12-07-09 at 05:47 PM
It's -11 F (-24 C) here, so I am sending DH out to get the fixin's and we'll make the soup either tonight or tomorrow. lCAn't wait. YUMMMM!
"RE: OT Cooking Club - Potato Leek Soup (vegan!)"
Posted by Ahtumbreez on 12-07-09 at 06:34 PM
It's one of the best potato soups I have EVER had!
"RE: OT Cooking Club - Potato Leek Soup (vegan!)"
Posted by Maroonclown on 12-08-09 at 07:13 PM
Cooking this now.

Was running late and stuck in traffic but I took a couple of shortcuts.

I don't have a crock pot so I sauted the onions and leeks together, threw in the potatoes, the water, stock, thyme and dill.

It's on a low boil, so once the potatoes are done I'll whiz the beejesus out of it.

Have got some nice, heavy crunchy rolls to go with it.

DH not a soup person but he's looking forward to this because it's part of OTCC.

I had planned on making this last night until I discovered I used up all my potatoes on sheppards pie on Sunday. So there I was, with leeks and everything, but not a potato to be had.


compliments of surfkitten's shop of siggies

"RE: OT Cooking Club - Potato Leek Soup (vegan!)"
Posted by Maroonclown on 12-09-09 at 09:45 AM
He liked it! He really liked it!

This was scrumptious. I added light half and half at the end. I debated the corn and decided against it.

Thanks Slicey. It's a keeper.


compliments of surfkitten's shop of siggies

"RE: OT Cooking Club - Potato Leek Soup (vegan!)"
Posted by samboohoo on 12-09-09 at 12:30 PM
This is cooking now as I am at work. I had a major craving after seeing the pictures and posts. I am in the middle of a major kitchen redo, so I didn't have a lot of room to work with, and I threw it together this morning in between visits to my son's school for swine flu vaccination and helping with a class project. My onions and potatoes were not perfectly chopped/cut, but it didn't seem to matter since I'm going to destroy them with the blender.

I didn't have any dill. And I had to use chicken broth instead of chicken/veggie stock.

I will also add cheese to mine. Pics later once it's done.


Samboobree, brought to life by Arkie


"RE: OT Cooking Club - Potato Leek Soup (vegan!)"
Posted by CTgirl on 12-09-09 at 01:41 PM
Mine is in the crockpot too. It's a perfect day for it!!


Yummy Cookies by Sharnina

"I know it's not the vegan way . . ."
Posted by samboohoo on 12-09-09 at 06:30 PM
But then again I'm not a vegan.

I wonder if I used too many potatoes. I used 5 because I didn't think they were big. It's kind of thick/chewy. I added some Tastefully Simple Bacon Bacon, sour cream and cheese. So it's kind of like loaded Baked Potato Soup.

But it hit the spot. Thanks Slicey.

I have pics, but I have to upload, resize, etc.


Samboobree, brought to life by Arkie


"Happy Slice"
Posted by J Slice on 12-09-09 at 06:46 PM
Really glad that overall, you folks are liking this - hope the "vegan" label didn't scare anyone away.

Of course, most of you have skirted the issue by adding cheese or milk

(damn y'all dairy lovers - how am I supposed to cook your recipes!!!?!?)


Because this is closer to how I look...

"RE: Happy Slice"
Posted by samboohoo on 12-09-09 at 09:02 PM
Mine is a pasta dish, and you won't have to use the cream - you can leave the sauce as a red sauce.


Samboobree, brought to life by Arkie


"Too easy!"
Posted by kingfish on 12-10-09 at 09:37 PM
LAST EDITED ON 12-10-09 AT 09:56 PM (EST)

"(damn y'all dairy lovers - how am I supposed to cook your recipes!!!?!?)"

Just think of anything from the cow as digested hay. Just rearranged grass.

"The Kitchen smells delish!"
Posted by CTgirl on 12-09-09 at 07:08 PM
I came home to the lovely smell of the soup simmering in the crock pot. Its especially nice because today is winter weather of the worst kind: cold, rainy, slushy on the brink of freezing out. So I'm sitting here eating it right now because DH is at a work related Christmas thing and it's yummy!

Except that I think I put in too much pepper (for my tastes anyways). Is white pepper hotter than black? Because Tummy used white pepper in hers, I experimented and did half white and half black. I also used chicken stock and skim milk. Then I added some fat free half and half at the end after it was blended to make it creamier.

I baptized my new hand blender with this recipe too. I had bought myself an early Christmas present because I have been making a lot of soup this winter and it saves a lot of time. One funny thing from the directions: it said "Do not use outdoors." WTH? Go figure that one out!

I will definitely make this one again (and try it with vegetable stock next time - I forgot to buy some) and adjust the amount of pepper!

Thanks Slicey. I loved the way the recipe reads like you are talking. I printed it out as is - you are immortalized in my cookbook now!



Dash Away by Agman - bobbled by Tribe

"RE: The Kitchen smells delish!"
Posted by Ahtumbreez on 12-10-09 at 09:11 AM
CT - white pepper is finer so maybe it saturates the recipe more? I don't know. I never measure spices, I just add and taste, add and taste so I'm not sure how much I used. But I like mine peppery - especially white peppery.

I'm turning you in if I find you using that hand-blender outside! Too funny.

"RE: The Kitchen smells delish!"
Posted by weltek on 12-10-09 at 11:07 AM
White pepper is technically hotter.

-A Tribetastic Creation
"RE: The Kitchen smells delish!"
Posted by CTgirl on 12-10-09 at 02:47 PM
I am getting quite the spice lesson making all these OTCC dishes!

I've never owned cardamom or carraway before and rarely use cumin and coriander. And as for the white pepper, its so old, its still in a metal container. (Anyone else remember Durkee spices? They seemed to have been replaced by McCormick around here.)


"RE: The Kitchen smells delish!"
Posted by weltek on 12-10-09 at 02:59 PM
I grew up with mental Durkee containers. I don't recall if it's Durkee, but I recently purchased a mental container of cumin. It really brought me back!


-A Tribetastic Creation

"RE: The Kitchen smells delish!"
Posted by Ahtumbreez on 12-11-09 at 04:16 PM
You're channeling Alton Brown aren't you?
"RE: The Kitchen smells delish!"
Posted by weltek on 12-11-09 at 04:22 PM
Technically I think my DH channels Alton. The hair is eerily similar.

-A Tribetastic Creation
"RE: OT Cooking Club - Potato Leek Soup (vegan!)"
Posted by kingfish on 12-10-09 at 10:54 AM
I'm not a dedicated cook, but potato and onion soups are my favorite, and this one sounds great. Thick soups are a winter time comfort food for me.
"RE: OT Cooking Club - Potato Leek Soup (vegan!)"
Posted by frodis on 12-11-09 at 04:13 PM
Just checking in.

I haven't had an opportunity to try this one yet, but I LOVE potato leek soup and can't wait to give this a try. The description and the pictures make me so hungry.

I want to make it and have it with brown bread and a Guinness.



~Iced by Arkie!~

"since the mercury says it is "
Posted by qwertypie on 12-12-09 at 01:57 PM
- frickin' 32 C (-24 F) outside, I think this qualifies for the rotten weather so I will be making the soup today. Can't wait!
"RE: OT Cooking Club - Potato Leek Soup (vegan!)"
Posted by Ahtumbreez on 12-15-09 at 11:34 AM
Rob's going to my brother's today to help him out with some construction. So I am making this again. I'm going to grill some chicken and top it with Boo's sauce and have this as a side. I've also got a baby loaf of bread to throw in the oven. Yum.
"Yum!"
Posted by frodis on 12-30-09 at 07:32 PM
LAST EDITED ON 12-30-09 AT 07:58 PM (EST)

I finally had an opportunity to give this one a go today. I had lots of leftover potatoes from Christmas Eve and I happened to pick up some leeks at the store last time I was there. Both kids went for a nap around noon so I had the kitchen to myself, so I figured, now or never!

Look, mise-en-place! With photos! I never have my act together enough to do mise-en-place, much less take pictures of it.

My changes/substitutions:
- I used olive oil instead of vegetable oil. I don't really like vegetable oil. Olive oil worked fine.

- I didn't have fresh herbes, and I didn't have thyme, but I did have a spice blend called Parisian Bonnes Herbes which has dill and other stuff in it which seemed appropriate.

- I used white pepper instead of black.

- I used 6 potatoes. Three russet and three yukon gold. I like mixing up the potato population.

- For the stock I used two tablespoons of this concentrated vegetable soup base mixed into two cups of hot water. My dad gave me an assortment of different concentrated soup bases for Christmas and I was delighted to find that vegetable was among them.

- I used a combo of heavy cream and 2% milk, and I did not put it into the crockpot. I think I've read that milk/cream doesn't do well in a crock pot so I saved it and added it when I blended it all up.

- I threw in about a tablespoon of prepared horseradish. I just think it goes well with potatoes. It was not really detectable in the finished product except I do think it added just a hint of bite to it, which I really like.

I sauteed the leeks and onions together, like several other folks did. I did them low and slow so it was more of a sweat than a sautee so they didn't really turn brown. I then removed them to the crock and deglazed the pan.

At this point I decided to add the potatoes to the pan with the stock and par-boil them for a little while. I was afraid that I hadn't left myself enough time to really cook them well in the crock pot so I decided to give them a jump-start. I boiled them for about 10 minutes in the stock - they didn't really get soft but they weren't super crunchy anymore either.

After the par-boil I threw everything into the crock pot and let it go for 4 hours on high.

When it was done I used the immersion blender to zhuuzh it all up into smooth, creamy deliciousness. (I zhuuzhed, added the cream/milk, and zhuuzhed again.)

I poured it into a taster mug and had a bite. Delicious. Then, I decked it out a bit with some crumbled bacon (leftover from yesterday's spinach salad with bacon dressing) some grated extra sharp cheddar cheese, a dallop of sour cream, and a sprinkle of chives.

Edited to add: I just realized that the above photo looks like Yosemite Sam's face in the mug. *snort*

Really yummy. Really, really yummy.

My daughter asked for a taste. She then asked for her own bowl. Then, a second bowl. So, this is toddler approved! I also gave my 9-month old a taste since he kept trying to grab the spoon from my hand. He liked it, too.

Thanks, Slicey! This one may have to make an appearance as a starter for a holiday meal!

"RE: Yum!"
Posted by CTgirl on 12-30-09 at 10:29 PM
That does look like Yosemite Sam! The other pictures are good too.

I had never done a mise-en-place (I didn't even know what it was called, I had to Google it, lol) before the braised short ribs. And I only did it because I was going to post the pictures, but you know what? I think I would be a much better cook if I did it more often. I cook too off the cuff and am always rushing at the end!