Vichyssoise Recipe History All You Need To Know About The French Leeks Soup

VICHYSSOISE

Steps:

• In a pot, melt the butter over medium heat.
• Add the leeks, lower the heat and gently fry without browning.
• Add the potatoes, and mix well.
• Add water and season with salt and pepper.
• Bring to a boil and cook over low to medium heat for about 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
• Drain the leeks and potatoes but reserve the cooking water.
• Pass the vegetables through a potato masher.
• Add a ladle of the cooking water and the cream. Whisk well, then strain everything through a strainer.
• Pour the filtered Vichyssoise into the pot, place it on a medium heat and bring it to the boil while continuing to whisk.
• Remove from the heat as soon as it comes to a boil and let cool to room temperature.
• Place the vichyssoise in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
• Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary before serving.
• Pour the vichyssoise into bowls and sprinkle with chopped chives

CLASSIC VICHYSSOISE

Steps:

• Start the chicken stock 2 days in advance: Trim away all green sections from the leeks; cut open the whites as necessary to wash out the grit, then dry and refrigerate in a plastic bag. Wash and reserve the leek greens.
• Wash the chicken backs, poking into the crevices with your finger to rinse away all bits of liver. (Chicken backs are best because they don't make an overly gelatinous stock; for cartilaginous parts like breast trimmings or wings, use only a pound.).
• Simmer the chicken and 1/4 teaspoons salt for 6 hours in water to cover, skimming off all scum (don't try to remove the fat); after 2 hours, add some or all of the leek greens. Strain the stock finely, making about 2 cups; cool and refrigerate. Before using, scrape off the congealed fat.
• Cook and refrigerate the soup base 1 day in advance: Saute the onions in a heavy 2-quart saucepan, starting on fairly high heat and reducing to medium as soon as the fat clarifies. When the onions are golden, increase the heat and add the leeks gradually; lower the heat again as they cook, stirring repeatedly to keep the juices from browning.
• In 15 to 20 minutes, when everything is golden but not browned, add the stock and 3/8 teaspoons salt, and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes, partially cover the pan, and simmer actively for 35 minutes. (Don't use too much potato, or the soup will end up too thick.).
• In two batches, finely puree the soup base in a blender at high speed, then pour it back into the saucepan. Rinse out the blender with the milk, add it to the soup base, and heat slowly until it just starts to simmer, stirring continually across the pan bottom and around the sides.
• Finally, put the soup through a very fine strainer, scraping hard with a rubber spatula to push everything through. Cool quickly and refrigerate.
• On serving day, stir the cream gradually into the softly jelled soup. Carefully adjust the consistency, adding more cream (or water or both) as necessary to make a thick but pourable liquid; a spoonful poured back into the bowl should level out, not stay in soft peaks. Taste for seasoning -- don't oversalt, or you'll lose the natural sweetness of the onion and cream.
• Vichyssoise keeps refrigerated up to 10 days.

ANTHONY BOURDAIN'S LES HALLES VICHYSSOISE

Steps:

• I a large, heavy bottom pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. Once butter is melted, add the leeks and sweat for 5 minutes, making sure they do not take on any color.
• Add potatoes and cook for a minute or two, stirring a few times.
• Stir in the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to a simmer. Cook on low heat, gently simmering for 35 minutes, or until the leeks and potatoes are very soft. Allow to cool for a few minutes.
• Slowly, and in SMALL batches, puree the soup at a high speed in the blender. Do this bit by bit, never filling the blender too high. Make sure the benders lid is on, and lean on the top when you turn on. If not the burn you will get is awful, and a most frequent accident in even professional kitchens.
• Return soup to the cooking pot and whisk in cream and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper. Return to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook 5 minutes. If you want to thin soup out, add more broth, if needed.
• Transfer soup to the mixing bowl an chill over the ice bath, stirring occasionally. When soup is at Room temperature, and only at room temperature, cover in plastic wrap and put into the refrigerator to cool.
• Check seasoning, sprinkle with chives and serve in chilled bowls.
• This soup DOES get better over time. Keep covered with plastic, not foil in the refrigerator, or it will pick up other tastes.