Rustic Potato and Leek Soup with Cheesy Baguette Toasts
When it’s soup season and you want soup fast. This soup is—as the saying goes—like a warm hug. It also comes together in about 20 minutes with the simplest of ingredients. It’s rustic and comforting, and even better accompanied with crunchy cheesy Baguette Toasts that come together in minutes. If you want a fancier version of the soup, feel free to blend it into a smooth velouté at the end.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
4 tbsp unsalted butter
3 leeks, cleaned
3 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 thyme sprigs
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper
6 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
6 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½” dice
1 cup whole milk
Thyme leaves and flat leaf parsley, for garnish
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Toasts
½ a sourdough baguette, split lengthwise
½ cup grated gruyere cheese
2 tsp thyme leaves
Kosher salt and black pepper
METHOD
Cut off the dark green leaves of the leeks, leaving only the white and very light green section of each leek. Cut into ¼” slices, place into colander and thoroughly rinse under cold running water.
Melt butter over medium low heat in large stock pot. Add leeks, garlic, thyme sprigs, salt and pepper and cook until soft, stirring often— approximately 8-10 mins.
Add chicken stock, bay leaf and potatoes to stock pot. Bring to boil over medium heat, then reduce to simmer for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender. Remove from heat. Remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Stir in milk.
For Toasts, adjust oven rack to top third of oven and turn on broiler. Place baguette halves on sheet pan and sprinkle cut sides with gruyere, thyme, salt and pepper. Place under broiler and bake until tops are golden brown, approximately 2-3 minutes.
To serve, ladle into bowls and top with thyme leaves and parsley, drizzle with olive oil and serve alongside cheesy baguette toasts.