Recipe of the Week 5/14/07: Welsh Leek Soup

You know, readers, life is funny... one moment, you're swelling with pride over the addition of your new Recipe of the Week feature. But, before you know it, a week has passed... and you realized that you forgot to post a new recipe for subsequent Mondays, after the first.

As your consolation for this disgracefully late Recipe of the Week, I have an extra special yummy offering for you: Welsh Leek Soup. The delicate, earthy flavors of the pureed-smooth soup are a wonderful compliment to soft, white breads that would be overpowered by intensely flavored soup. My mother prepares this recipe on the Feast of Saint David, March 1st.


4 large leeks
1 onion
4 potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
6 cups water
2 egg yolks
Salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
Pepper

Carefully wash the leeks and cut them into narrow strips. Peel the potatoes, slice them, and cook them in the water with a pinch of salt until soft. Mince an onion, mix with the leeks, and saute in the butter until soft, but not brown. Add to the potatoes. Wehn the vegetables are cooked fully and quite soft, put them through a fine sieve, and return to the liquid. Beat the egg yolks and with the cream; add a little of the hot soup to temper the eggs, stirring vigorously. Add to the rest of the soup, season to taste, and serve.

Note: Cracked black pepper is not only a perfect flavor component to compliment the soup, but is also a visually appealing addition.


Mangia!
--Seguin