Potato and Leek Soup

° Serves 6 (makes 6½ cups)

My favorite soup is made of potatoes and leeks, sometimes with the addition of onion. Now and then I make a coarser version, cutting the potato, leek, and onion into chunks and serving it as a chunky soup, but in its classic form, the soup is pureed. It is traditionally made with a combination of stock and water, although it could be made exclusively with one or the other.

Conventionally, for a cream soup like this one, the vegetables are cooked first and then pureed. In this easy version, puree the vegetables before cooking. I also use frozen hash-brown potatoes, which come already diced, eliminating another step.

Chilled, the soup can easily be transformed into the famous vichyssoise with the addition of cream and chives for another quick and satisfying dish.

Don’t waste expensive leeks—use most of the leek, except one or two outside tough leaves.

• 2 leeks (about 6 ounces)
• 1 onion (about 4 ounces), peeled and cut into 4 to 6 pieces
• 2 cups water
• 3⅓ cups Basic Chicken Stock or canned chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound frozen hash-brown potatoes (about 3 cups), defrosted, or 3 cups diced, peeled potatoes
• Salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1½ cups broken pita toasts, for garnish

To clean the leeks, remove and discard the roots. Do not discard the entire green area: Instead, remove the outer dark green layer of leaves, which is often damaged and usually fibrous and tough, then cut away any dark or damaged inner leaves. Do not remove leaves that are lighter in color (an indication of tenderness). Preparing leeks this way enables you to use most of the leeks and avoids waste.

Cut the leeks into pieces and rinse thoroughly in a sieve. Place in a food processor, add the onion and ½ cup of the water, and process for 15 to 20 seconds, until pureed. Transfer the puree to a soup pot and add the chicken stock, butter, and olive oil. Bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, combine the potatoes with 1 cup of the water in the food processor and process until smooth. Add this to the mixture in the pot, along with the remaining ½ cup water and the pepper and salt to taste. Bring the mixture back to a boil, then cover the pot, lower the heat, and boil gently for about 15 minutes. The soup will be slightly grainy but creamy and a lovely light green color.

Divide the soup among six bowls and garnish with the pita toasts.

Vichyssoise

• Serves 6 (makes 7½ cups)

• 1 cup heavy cream
• Salt
• 3 tablespoons chopped chives
• Potato and Leek Soup (opposite), chilled

Stir the cream, salt to taste, and half the chives into the cold soup. Divide among six soup bowls, sprinkle the remaining chives on top, and serve.