What do you do with all those potatoes you bought? Make vegan potato leek soup, of course! It can be served hot or cold and freezes well. Zero waste cooking starts here.
Sometimes I can find frozen, chopped leeks and that’s a real time saver. But fresh leeks are wonderful and can sit in your fridge for a while too. It’s often recommended to use only the white part of the leek because it’s the most tender, but I like to use as much of it as possible.
Handling Leeks
I learned from watching Jacques Pepin on PBS that after removing the toughest outer layer, you can cut diagonally the green part and progressively use more of the leek as you cut the layers deeper toward the center. Unfortunately, I neglected to take a picture to explain what I mean, so you can watch the legend himself demonstrate the technique here. Whatever you trim away can be put into a freezer bag for stock later. Zero waste cooking starts here.
Once you have cut away the toughest, outermost stem ends, slice the leeks into halves or quarters lengthwise and then cut them into smaller slices. Put them into a tub full of water and swish them around so that the dirt sinks to the bottom. Pull them out with your hands and repeat this process a couple times to make sure they are clean and free of grit.
Toss your cubed potatoes into a pot with some oil to get them started cooking. Then add the leeks and whatever herbs you like. Rosemary is great. I often use Herbs de Provence. Add some liquid, which could be chicken stock or vegetable stock. Let it simmer until the vegetables are tender.
I like a rustic texture, so I sometimes use a potato masher to mash some of the potatoes near the end of cooking. You could leave them in chunks or puree the whole thing. You could add some cream. It’s really up to you. If you wanted to serve it cold, I would recommend pureeing it. And a dollop of sour cream would also be welcome.
If you don’t use all the leeks you have cleaned and sliced, put them into the freezer for future use. You will thank yourself later for the work that you have already done. Work smarter, not harder.
For an idea on using up your leftover mashed potatoes, please read No Waste Begets Big Taste.