Leek And Almond Soup Recipes

LEEK POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Chop the leeks into small pieces.
• In a 6-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the leeks and a heavy pinch of salt and sweat for 5 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook until the leeks are tender, approximately 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the potatoes and the vegetable broth, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer until the potatoes are soft, approximately 45 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and puree the mixture with an immersion blender until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream, buttermilk, and white pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Sprinkle with chives and serve immediately, or chill and serve cold.

POTATO, LEEK, AND SPINACH SOUP

Steps:

• Put leeks in a bowl with enough water to cover completely. Soak until you're ready to cook them.
• Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Fry bacon in hot pot until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towel to drain. Remove all but 2 tablespoons bacon drippings from the pot.
• Drain leeks and shake vigorously to dry. Fry leeks and garlic in the reserved bacon drippings until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir potatoes with the leeks; add bay leaves. Pour the carton of chicken stock over the potatoes; bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Season soup with salt and pepper.
• Scoop about half the potatoes, leeks, and garlic into a food processor bowl with enough liquid to cover; process until pureed. Stir puree, bacon, spinach, and half-and-half into the soup; continue heating until again hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Add chicken broth from the can or half-and-half to achieve your desired consistency.

LEEK AND SALMON SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add leeks, onions, and shallots. Add garlic and salt. Cook and stir until all is well wilted and soft, but not browned, about 3 minutes.
• Pour 4 cups of stock into the pot; add potatoes, cauliflower, and carrots. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cook until carrots and potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. Insert a hand blender into the soup and blend until creamy-smooth. Add more broth if too thick; the soup should be the consistency of thick bisque.
• Stir cream into the soup; cook until heated through but not boiling. Add salmon; cook and stir until it flakes apart, 5 to 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into bowls and sprinkle onions on top.

ALMOND AND LEEK SOUP

Steps:

• Heat 5 cups of clear broth in a saucepan, adding blanched almonds; cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
• While broth and almonds are cooking, carefully clean the leeks: cut off the stemmy bottoms and the dark green leaves, so you end up with white and light green parts only (dirt can get in between the leaves, so wash them out well); cut leeks in quarters, then into about 1-inch squares.
• Heat butter and oil in heavy wide saucepan or saute pan.
• Add leeks, celery (not the greens yet, though), salt, pepper, and stir over low heat for 3-5 minutes.
• Add one cup of broth and bring to boil; lower heat, cover, and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring often, about 10 minutes or until leeks are tender.
• After almonds have been simmered in the broth, puree them well in a blender or food processor until smooth; return to the saucepan with cooked leeks to reheat.
• Add the celery greens (they'll stay a nice lighter green color, adding them at this time) and simmer for 3-5 minutes.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Just before serving, add 1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream to each serving if desired.

CAULIFLOWER SOUP WITH ALMONDS

Steps:

• Wash leek slices in a bowl of cold water, agitating, then lift out and pat dry.
• Melt butter with water in a 4- to 5-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat. Add cauliflower and leek and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower begins to soften (do not let brown), about 5 minutes. Add coriander and cook, stirring, 1 minute, then add broth, milk, salt, and pepper and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and gently simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is very tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
• While soup is cooking, toast almonds in a dry skillet over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant and a shade darker, about 3 minutes.
• Purée soup in 2 batches in a blender (use caution when blending hot liquids) until very smooth. Serve soup topped with almonds.

LEEK AND ALMOND SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil in a soup pot, and sautee garlic until golden, but not burned.
• Add vegetables and continue to toss with the oil and cook for about 5 minutes over medium high heat.
• Add broth (or water and boullion), sea salt and pepper to taste, and almonds.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until vegetables are very tender.
• Remove from heat, add evaporated milk and puree using an immersion blender, or in batches in the blender.
• Serve hot or cold, garnished with chopped almonds, chopped parsley or croutons.

LEEK SOUP

Steps:

• Cut leeks into thin slices. In a skillet, saute leeks and onion in butter until tender but not browned. Transfer to a soup kettle or Dutch oven. Add potatoes, broth and parsley; cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender. Strain; set broth aside. Puree vegetables in a blender or food processor. Return puree and broth to pan. Stir a small amount of pureed mixture into egg yolk; return to pan. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg. Cook over medium heat until a thermometer reads 160°, stirring occasionally. Add the cream; heat through but do not boil. Garnish with bacon.