Velouté de poireaux - Leek soup

Zazulete Ynn Anuca Romanta Ion

Spring was late this year. After the vernal equinox, a mighty snow storm has been visiting us for a few days. Before plunging into the greens of spring, the cold, dark days call for a yummy winterish warmer, a traditional French soup: Velouté de poireaux, leek soup. Quick and easy to make and as French would say, savoureux. 

Velouté means “velvety” and it originally referred to mother sauces that are thickened with butter, cream and egg yolks, currently extended to also describe soups turned creamy with butter or cream. 

The French classic is potato leek soup - potage poireaux pommes de terres – or Potage Parmentier, a delicious and quick homemade soup that can be served hot or cold and by contemporary standards, what one might call a blender soup, for you can basically throw all the ingredients in your blender, for its preparation.

The recipe introduced today is a mélange of the grand-mère (grand-mother) recette and my personal touch. It is going to be our French Connection between winter and spring.

INGREDIENTS
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For 6 servings, you need a large leek (I had a very big and thick one and used only half of it) with green leaves as well. One medium potato and one large onion. I used red onion myself, for its particular taste. Four garlic cloves or as alternative, if you prefer, garlic powder. Roughly a cup, or 250 ml heavy cream. A teaspoon of Herbes de Provence and one teaspoon of cumin seeds.  Et voilà, that’s about it for the basic formula. 

Optionally, you can use vegetable stock powder (I used homemade, all-natural vegetable stock powder made of carrots, parsley roots, celery, onion, bell peppers) and season the soup with either more leek, or parsley or chives.

PREPARATION

For a lighter recipe, I prefer to use olive oil instead of butter, and let the milky taste and texture come from the cream alone.
Cut the onion in large rings and caramelize it in a little bit of olive oil.
Cut the potato in cubes and the leek in rings and throw them in your blender. Add water or stock.
Add the garlic cloves, the caramelized onion, the Herbes de Provence and the cumin seeds.
Blend well.
Season with salt and pepper.
Add enough water for a light creamy texture and boil the mixture in your soup pot for 15 minutes, at medium heat. At this point, pour in the heavy cream and boil for another 12 minutes.
For a silkier result, you may want to reblend the hot soup, but it is not necessary.

A good portion of fibers, B vitamins and anti-oxidants in a French classic that will caress your body and soul.
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Au revoir, winter!