Potato Leek Bisque from Eating Well

Submitted by MoreWithLessMom

"It’s hard to believe how rich and creamy this potato-leek soup is even though there’s not a drop of cream in it. Croutons topped with anchovy, olives and leek are a crunchy, savory foil to the soup. But skip them if you like and incorporate all the cooked leeks into the soup instead."

 

• Ready In: 50mins
• Ingredients: 13
• Yields: 8 cups
• Serves: 8

ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 lbs leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced (see Tip)
• 3⁄4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 1⁄2 lbs yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
• 3 cups low-fat milk
• 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1⁄4 teaspoon white pepper (to taste)
• fresh chives, thinly sliced (to garnish)

• Croutons

• 1⁄4 cup minced pitted oil-cured olives
• 3 anchovies, minced
• 1⁄4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 8 slices baguette, preferably whole-wheat, toasted

directions

1. To prepare bisque: Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add leeks and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until very tender but not brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Adjust heat as necessary and add a bit of water if needed to prevent sticking. Set aside 1/3 cup of the leeks in a small bowl.
2. Add potatoes, milk and broth to the pot. Bring to a simmer (do not boil) and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are very tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
3. To prepare croutons: Meanwhile, add olives, anchovies and black pepper to the reserved leeks; mix well. Divide evenly among the toasted baguette slices.
4. When the potatoes are tender, remove from the heat. Puree the soup with an immersion blender or in batches in a regular blender. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, lemon juice and white pepper. Divide among 8 soup bowls and float a crouton on top of each. Garnish with chives, if desired.