Vichyssoise
Local name : Vichyssoise
A sieved velvet soup of leeks and potatoes, enriched with cream and served ice cold under a scatter of chives.
Photo : BocaDorada · CC BY-SA 2.0
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Method
- Split the leek whites into quarters, wash them thoroughly, then slice them finely.
- Sweat them in the butter, covered, over low heat for 12 minutes without letting them colour; vichyssoise must stay very pale.
- Add the diced potatoes and the stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 18 minutes, until the potatoes crush easily.
- Blend at length, then push the soup through a fine sieve for a perfectly silky texture.
- Stir in the cream and season generously with salt and white pepper, remembering that cold dulls seasoning.
- Chill for at least 4 hours and serve very cold, scattered with finely snipped chives and a twist of pepper.
Vichyssoise was invented in New York by a French chef homesick for the leek soup of his childhood. Always taste it once cold: a chilled soup needs noticeably more salt than a hot one.
