French · Soup · Easy
Potage Parmentier
Silky potato and leek soup, served hot in winter or chilled as vichyssoise in summer. Two soups for the work of one.
The whole recipe in 60 seconds
Potage Parmentier, in 5 ideas
- Sweating the leeks without color keeps the soup pale and sweet.
- Blend longer than you think; absolute silkiness is the goal.
- A potato ricer before blending gives an even smoother result.
- The cold version needs more aggressive seasoning; chill dulls salt.
- Swirl in creme fraiche instead of cream for a tangy lift.
What you need
Ingredients
- 3 leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced
- 2 lbs potatoes, peeled and diced
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- Chopped chives, for serving
How to make it
Directions
- Wash the sliced leeks thoroughly; grit hides between the layers.
- Melt the butter in a large pot and sweat the leeks with a pinch of salt, 8 minutes, without browning.
- Add the potatoes and broth. Simmer 20 minutes until the potatoes fall apart.
- Blend until completely smooth with an immersion blender.
- Stir in the cream, season with salt and white pepper, and serve hot with chives. Or chill overnight and serve cold as vichyssoise.
Money saver. Leeks are often cheapest at farmers markets in fall. Buy extra and freeze the sliced whites for future soups.