A Chanukah Recipe: Creamy Potato Leek Soup

I participated in a cooking competition this weekend where, in honor of the holiday of Chanukah, we had to create a dish that highlighted the potato. I wanted to do something others might not think of, so I decided on a potato leek soup. I caramelized the leeks in the oven to add a little bit of sweetness, and baked the potatoes and onions in the oven to add even more depth of flavor. The simplicity of ingredients in this soup really lets the potato shine.

P.S. Some of you have been asking me to start taking pictures of my food, so here you go!

Creamy Potato Leek Soup

Ingredients:

6 leeks

6 white potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 large onion, cut into 8 pieces

4 Tbsp vegetable oil

4 cups vegetable stock

2 cups water

salt and pepper to taste

sour cream (optional)

chives (optional)

1 small potato, finely minced (optional)

Directions:

1. Cut ends and tops off of leeks (you just want the white and very light green part). Slice lengthwise and rinse well to remove any grit, then pat dry. Place in roasting pan and toss with 2 Tbsp oil.
2. Place potatoes and onions in another roasting pan and toss with remaining oil.
3. Roast vegetables in the oven at 400 degrees until leeks are caramelized and soft, and potatoes are browned and soft, 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Place roasted veggies in a large stock pot with soup stock and water; bring to a boil and cook 15-20 minutes until potatoes start to break down and liquid becomes thick and starchy.
5. Using an immersion blender, blend soup until smooth. To strain out any fiber left from the leeks, run the soup through a fine sieve (put a sieve over a large bowl, ladle soup into sieve and stir to push through; discard leftover contents of the sieve).
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. If you like, garnish with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of freshly chopped chives and crispy fried potato bits (I finely minced a small potato and deep fried the bits in oil until crispy).

The cost:

leeks: 6.00

potatoes: 2.99

onion: .45

soup stock: 1.99

Grand total: $11.43