If you're in France, they'll likely say this is a French soup. If you're in England they'll probably say this is classic British soup. Personally, I associate it with the Brits but maybe that's controversial so I will use the French name for this post.
My recipe is vegetarian but you can easily use chicken stock instead of vegetable stock.
If you are opting for a vegan option, this recipe is easy to adapt. Simply cook the leeks in oil instead of butter and don't add any milk at the end. The milk really is optional. The potato already gives the soup so much creaminess.
I love having this soup as my main course with fresh baguette but it could also be a great starter for a dinner party too.
Serves 4 as a starter
POTAGE PARMENTIER
•leeks
•potato
•white onion
•butter
•vegetable or chicken stock
•milk
•salt & pepper
Slice two large leeks down the middle and discard the green parts. Roughly chop the leeks into half moons. Wash the pieces well under cold water to get rid of any sand that might be stuck.
Peel and roughly dice one large potato. A medium-sized dice is absolutely fine for this. Dice one small white onion.
Heat about three tablespoons of butter in a deep pot. Add the leeks, onions and potatoes at the same time. Cook everything on a medium heat till the leeks are soft, about 5-7 minutes.
While the vegetables cook, measure out 5 cups (1 liter) of stock; I use vegetable stock but chicken is also wonderful. When the vegetables are soft, pour in the stock and bring everything to a boil, then reduce the soup to a simmer for about 12-15 minutes.
When the potatoes are fork-soft, take the pot off the heat. Using a stick blender, blend everything straight in the pot (or do this in batches if you have a stand-up blender). Blend in half a cup of milk (125 ml). Finally, season everything with lots of salt and pepper.
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