← Nouns Cooking · French

Ingredients

• 40 g Butter
• 600 g leeks (white and pale green parts), sliced and washed
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 400 g floury potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 l vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 Bay leaves
• 250 ml Milk
• 150 ml double (heavy) cream, plus extra to serve
• salt and white pepper
• 1 bunch Chives, finely snipped

Method

1. Melt the butter in a large pan over medium-low heat. Add the leeks, onion and a pinch of salt, cover and sweat for 10–12 min, stirring now and then, until very soft but not coloured.
2. Add the potatoes, stock and bay, bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 min until the potatoes fall apart when pressed.
3. Remove the bay leaf and blend until completely smooth; for the silkiest texture, push it through a sieve as well.
4. Stir in the milk and cream and season well with salt and white pepper. Cool, then chill for at least 4 hours, until very cold.
5. Taste again before serving (cold food needs more salt), thin with a little milk if thick, and serve in chilled bowls with a swirl of cream and plenty of chives.

Tips

• It is also lovely served hot, when it becomes potage Parmentier’s richer cousin.
• Use vegetable stock and check it is gluten-free to keep the diet tags true.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Great British Chefs 196 flavors