Rustic Potato Leek Soup

We are now into the second week of September, and in our neck of the woods right now, Mother Nature is giving us just a hint of delicious almost-fall-ish weather. Outside, the air is a bit cool, with a nice breeze. This is the kind of weather which makes me want to switch from light, summer-time meals to something a little more… well… fall-ish!

Since we had a whole bunch of potatoes and leeks sitting around from our farm share, I was thinking of maybe a potato-leek soup. I love the flavors of potato-leek soup, but I was in the mood for something a little less fussy… a little more rustic, hearty and simple. This is what I came up with: A potato-leek soup which is not pureed, and definitely not fancy. I left the peels on the potatoes, and tossed in a handful of herbs from the garden. It was quite simple to make, but oh-so-satisfying to eat!

NOTE: You can make this soup vegan, by skipping the butter and increasing the olive oil, and using a non-dairy milk instead of the cream.

Rustic Potato Leek Soup

2 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 cups of chopped and rinsed leeks (white and light green parts)

4 cups of diced potatoes

6 cups of vegetable broth

Small bunch of fresh parsley, chopped

A few sprigs of thyme, chopped

½ cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a large soup pot. Add the olive oil and the leeks, and cook, stirring, until the leeks start to soften, but not brown. Add the potatoes, and stir. Add the broth and herbs, then bring to a boil. Simmer on medium-low heat until the potatoes are soft. Once the potatoes are cooked through, use a masher to slightly smash up the potatoes in the pot… not too much, though!  Add the cream, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a salad and some warm, crusty bread.