I’m passionate about leeks, so I love this soup. I used to always make potato leek soup. Then I was introduced to a darker, sweeter version, served with braised chard stems and whole toasted almonds. The whole thing was just yummy. But if you don’t have time to braise chard and toast almonds, just make the soup. It’s creamy and soothing.

4-5 leeks
1 T butter or olive oil, or a little of both
1 t salt
1 russet potato, peeled and chopped
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water

Trim the bottom off the leeks and split them in half to wash out any dirt, then slice them up to where the tops start to get dark green.

Sauté the leeks in the butter or oil. Add the salt and let them cook for awhile, partially covered, until they are soft and carmelized. This might take about 20 minutes. Add the potato, and sauté it for a few minutes with the leeks. Pour in the vegetable broth and water, and let the soup simmer for 30 minutes until the potato is soft. Transfer the soup to a blender in batches and blend until very creamy. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.