I was wanting to try making a nice cream soup of sorts today and while I was at the grocery store I saw some leeks. I figured, what the hell, i've never made cream of leek soup before maybe I will today. So a couple minutes before checking out, I thought, hmmm.... I bet you that if I add some potatoes for texture and smoked red peppers for a bit more flavour depth, that this could be a kick ass soup. So here's how I made it:
Ingredients:
1 900 ML box of chicken stock
15 baby golden potatoes
2 red bell peppers
2 leeks
1 small red onion
250 ml half and half cream
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
To plan your time properly, quarter and seed the peppers and rub in olive oil, then put on a grill with about 2 cups of any hardwood smoking chips right on the briquettes with the grill set to high on indirect heat. (heat opposite side of grill from the food side) Leave the peppers smoke and cook, skin down until the skins are black, then remove and cool.
Get the chicken stock to a soft boil on the stove in a 6 cup pot. Throw the potatoes in. While waiting for the potatoes to cook, put a sautee pan on medium high heat with some olive oil. Chop the leeks across the bias into 1/8" thick rings, then place in the sautee pan. Coarsely chop the red onion and add to the party.
Once the potatoes are soft, mash them gently with a potato smasher. Add the leaks and onions into the pot, then blend thoroughly with an immersion blender. Peel the skin off the red peppers and coarsely chop. Add the peppers to the pot along with the cream, then blend with the immersion blender. Add salt and pepper to taste and voila!
