Vichyssoise

I love soup.  Soup is supposed to be HOT, not cold, except for Vichyssoise or Gazpacho.  I don’t like Gazpacho, but I do like Vichyssoise and I think you might like it too.  Try it.  If you don’t like it cold, you can always eat this soup hot, it’s good both ways.  This is the combination of an Alton Brown recipe, with the addition of the Boursin that comes from Emeril.

Ingredients:

• 4 leeks (medium to large),  cleaned, ONLY dark green section removed, and sliced into ¼ inch pieces
• 4 T. butter
• 1 t. kosher salt
• 2 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes (about 6 small), peeled and diced small
• 8 C. chicken stock
• 1 C. heavy cream
• 1 C. buttermilk
• ½ t. white pepper
• ¼ t. cayenne pepper
• 1 (5.2 oz.) Boursin cheese, garlic and herbs
• 1 T. chives, snipped

Directions:

1. In a Dutch oven, melt the butter over low heat, and cook the leeks with the salt for 20 – 25 minutes (don’t let the leeks brown)
2. Add the potatoes and the chicken stock and turn the heat up to medium-high
3. When the stock begins to boil, reduce the heat to low and allow the soup to simmer for 45 minutes
4. Using an immersion blender, or a traditional blender in batches, blend the soup until it is a thick, creamy consistency
5. Add the heavy cream, buttermilk, white pepper, and cayenne pepper and stir well
6. Add the Boursin cheese and stir well to melt
7. Serve hot with chives as a garnish

Tips and Tricks:

• To clean leeks, slice them open vertically. Fill the sink with cool water and allow the leeks to soak in the water.  Separate the leaves and scrub the sand out of layers.  Drain the water and allow the water to run over the leeks, and then dry with a clean dishcloth.
• This soup can also be served cold.  Vichyssoise IS normally served cold, but this soup is very good hot.
• I have made this with half and half instead of the heavy cream and buttermilk.  If you do, add 1 T. of fresh lemon juice to 2 C. of half and half, to mimic the buttermilk.  Buttermilk is tart and the lemon juice does the trick.