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  • Cold Potato Leek Soup
    • servings: 4
    Nutritional Info

    Summary

    This super-quick version of Vichyssoise uses canned potatoes to speed up the process. They're fully cooked and ready to add to the soup before pureeing it. If you would like to serve this soup hot, see the note below. To make this soup in under 15 minutes, first read through the recipe. As you read gather together all of the ingredients, tools, pots and pans that you will need. This is so that everything is at your fingertips while you cook. Do not prep any ingredients though. All prep is included in the instructions and counts towards the 15 minutes. See you in 15! (Yield 7 cups, serves 6 as an appetizer)

    Ingredients

    3 cups low or no-sodium vegetable or chicken broth, divided

    3 Tbsp. unsalted butter

    4 leeks

    1/2 tsp. salt

    chives

    3 (15 oz.) cans sliced potatoes

    2 cups ice cubes

    2 cups half and half cream

    A pinch of nutmeg

    Instructions

    Measure 1 cup of the broth into a large pot or bowl (something big enough to fit 7 cups of soup) and put it into the freezer. Warm the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over low heat. Meanwhile trim, split and finely chop the leeks. Put them into a sieve and rinse them well to remove all dirt. Increase the heat under the pot to medium-high and add the leeks. Stir and then cover. Let them cook for about 4 minutes stirring occasionally and always putting the cover back on. If they start to brown a bit, reduce the heat. While the leeks cook, put the remaining 2 cups of the broth in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave it until very hot, about 3 minutes. Add the hot broth and the salt to the leeks. Simmer until leeks are very soft, about 2 minutes more. While they soften, finely chop 1/4 cup of chives (these are for the garnish). Open and drain the potatoes. Once the leeks are soft, remove pot from the heat. Remove the chilling broth from the freezer. Put the broth from the freezer and half of the potatoes into the blender and puree until smooth. Transfer it to the cold bowl and add the ice cubes. Put the leek and broth mixture and the remaining potatoes into the blender and puree until smooth. Transfer it to the cold bowl. Stir in the half and half and the nutmeg. Stir until ice cubes have melted. Serve in bowls topped with the chives.