VCE: Cream Of Leek Soup With Fresh Herbs And Cheese Croutons

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* Exported from MasterCook *

 

Cream Of Leek Soup With Fresh Herbs And Cheese Croutons

 

Recipe By : Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, Deborah Madison, page 209

Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories : Soups And Stews Vegetables

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ --------------------------------

6 cups Quick Stock or water -- as needed

6 medium leeks

white parts plus an inch of the greens

sliced into 1/4-inch rounds

2 tablespoons butter

1 bay leaf

4 lemon thyme or regular thyme sprigs

Salt and freshly milled pepper

1 tablespoon flour

1/3 cup milk or cream

3 tablespoons chopped herbs

chervil or basil or dill or tarragon

OR 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary

OR lovage

1 Cheese Crouton for each bowl

 

SERVES 4 TO 6

 

Vary the garnishes to suit the season for this first-course soup.

 

If you're making stock, chop 3 cups of the green inner leaves of the leeks

and use them, plus the roots, in it.

 

Separate the sliced leeks into rings and soak them in a bowl of water for 5

minutes. Lift them out, letting any sand fall to the bottom. You should

have about 4 cups; if not, make up the difference with scallions or

onion. Melt the butter in a soup pot and add the leeks, bay leaf, thyme, 1

1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 cup of the strained stock. Cover the pan and

stew over medium heat until the leeks are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir

in the flour, then pour in the remaining stock. Bring to a boil, then

lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

 

Remove the bay loaf and thyme, purée the soup, then return it to the

pot. Add the milk and bring to a simmer. Taste for salt and season with

pepper. Stir in the fresh herbs and serve with a crouton in each bowl.

 

Cheese croutons for soup

Mix 1/2 cup grated blue Cheese, Parmesan, or a good Cheddar with 1 teaspoon

Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon soft butter and a little freshly milled

pepper. Toast 12 baguette slices. 2 for each person. Mound a little of

the topping each, then broil until the cheese begins to bubble and melt.

 

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