Perfect for kicking off a special occasion or an elegant dinner, this velvety vegetable bisque is no ordinary leek and potato soup. There are two special ingredients that make this version unusually satisfying and rich: a generous amount of Stilton and a few glugs of tawny port.
Ingredients for Leek and Potato Soup
- leeks
- garlic
- carrot
- celery
- russet potatoes
- bay leaf
- dried thyme
- unsalted butter
- chicken broth
- half and half
- Stilton
- tawny port
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- chives
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Roughly chop the leeks, carrots, celery, and garlic. Peel the potatoes, cut them in half, and slice into thin wedges.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Then add the leek, carrot, celery, garlic, bay leaf, and thyme. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for about five to ten minutes.
Next add the potatoes and the broth. Give the pot a good stir, cover it with a lid, and simmer the mixture for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are very tender when pierced with a fork.
Let the mixture stand until it is cool enough to blend. Discard the bay leaf and puree the soup with an immersion blender until very smooth. (A regular blender is fine, too, but more messy.)
Place the smoothly blended vegetable mixture back on the stove over medium low heat and stir in the half-and-half.
When the mixture is heated (but not boiling), stir in the crumbled Stilton until the cheese is melted and smooth.
Then mix in the tawny port. Finally, add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve the soup garnished with fresh chopped chives.
Serving Suggestions
- To Garnish - fresh chopped chives
- To Drink - Riesling, Belgian ale, or dry sherry
Equipment
An immersion blender is extremely useful for pureeing this soup, but a regular blender or a food processor also works just fine.
Storage
The blended vegetable mixture can be prepared in advance and then frozen for at least a week or two. When you are ready to serve the soup, simply thaw the blended vegetable mixture in the refrigerator before heating and mixing in the Stilton and the port.
📖 Recipe
Leek and Potato Soup
Equipment
- immersion blender alternatively, a regular blender can be used
Ingredients
- 2 cups white and pale green part of leek about 3 small leeks, roughly chopped
- ½ cup celery about 2 medium stalks, roughly chopped
- ½ cup carrot about 2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
- 1 fat clove garlic roughly chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 russet (or Yukon gold) potatoes medium
- 4 cups chicken broth
- ½ cup half and half
- 6 ounces Stilton crumbled
- 3 tablespoons Tawny Port
- kosher salt to taste
- fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 1 bunch fresh chives minced for garnish
Instructions
- Roughly chop the leeks, carrots, celery, and garlic. Peel the potatoes, cut them in half, and slice into thin wedges.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and add the leek, carrot, celery, garlic, bay leaf, and thyme. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Add the potatoes and the broth. Give the pot a good stir, cover it with a lid, and simmer the mixture for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are very tender.
- Let the mixture stand until it is cool enough to blend. Discard the bay leaf and puree the soup with an immersion blender until it is very smooth.
- Place the blended vegetable mixture back on the stove over medium low heat and stir in the half-and-half.
- When the mixture is heated (but not boiling), stir in the crumbled Stilton until the cheese is melted and smooth.
- Mix in the tawny port and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve garnished with fresh chopped chives.
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