Roasted Potato Leek Soup

By norsegal8

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
• 4 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts, cleaned of all sand (4 leeks)
• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• kosher salt
• black pepper
• 3 cups baby arugula, lightly packed
• 1/2 cup dry white wine, plus extra for serving
• 6 to 7 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces creme fraiche
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• crispy shallots (recipe follows)

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Combine the potatoes and the leeks on a sheet pan in a single layer. Add the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss to coat the vegetables evenly. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, turning with a spatula a few times during cooking, until very tender. Add the arugula and toss to combine. Roast for 4 to 5 more minutes, until the arugula is wilted. Remove the pan from the oven and place over 2 burners. Stir in the wine and 1 cup of the chicken stock and cook over low heat, scraping up any crispy roasted bits sticking to the pan.

In batches, transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor fitted with the steel blade, adding the pan liquid and about 5 cups of chicken stock to make a puree. Pour the puree into a large pot or Dutch oven. Continue to puree the vegetables in batches until they're all done and combined in the large pot. Add enough of the remaining 1 to 2 cups of stock to make a thick soup. Add the cream and the creme fraiche, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and check the seasonings.

When ready to serve, reheat the soup gently and whisk in 2 tablespoons of white wine and the Parmesan cheese. Serve with a shredding of Parmesan cheese and crispy shallots on top.

CRISPY SHALLOTS:
1 1/2 cup good olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 to 6 shallots, peeled and cut into thin rings

Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it reaches 220 degrees on a candy thermometer.

Reduce the heat to low, add the shallots and cook for 30 to 40 minutes until they are a rich golden brown. The temperature should stay below 260 degrees. Stir the shallots occasionally to make sure they brown evenly. Remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon, drain well, and spread out to cool on paper towels. Once they have dried and crisped, they can be stored at room temperature, covered, for several days.