What makes this different from most potato-leek soups is the amount of thyme, and the fact that I use fresh thyme rather than dried. The leaves fall into the soup as it cooks and gives a wonderful flavor and fragrance to the thing.
It’s a simple pleasure.
I love simple pleasures.
Potato, Leek and Thyme Soup
Yield: 4 servings (or 6 appetizer servings)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 70 min
Ingredients
1# potatoes, peeled, medium dice
2# leeks, topped and tailed
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter
several sprigs fresh thyme, tied into a bundle
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 c. milk
salt & pepper
Make
Halve leeks lengthwise and slice fairly thinly. Rinse thoroughly under cold water.
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks and thyme. Cover and cook until soft, about 5 min.
Add potatoes and enough water to just cover the vegetables. Cover and simmer for 30 min.
Add milk. Simmer for an additional 30 min.
Remove the thyme bundle. Salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
If you want to include some potato peel in the soup for flavor, texture, and nutrients, peel the potatoes halfway, in strips. Large sections of peel simply don’t work in this.
If you are using large winter leeks, first remove the tough outer layers.
Once finished, this can be blended to make a smooth and creamy soup, if you like.