Potato-Leek Soup

Developing a line of soups for my current job, just thought I'd share an easy recipe!

This soup is deceptively simple to make, but very popular. So far, in our taste-tests, we have not found a person who didn't like it.

It does NOT freeze well, sorry. The potatoes get a weird spongy texture if frozen.

The amounts here are approximate, you'll need to make minor adjustments to taste.

Ingredients:
2 medium leeks
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt
¼ oz dry rosemary, ground (or small amount fresh, minced)
3 quarts water
3 pounds waxy potatoes (Sangre are my favorite)
1 oz chives

Split the leeks lengthwise and wash carefully. There is always hidden dirt in the leaves. If they seem fairly clean, cut each half into thin slices. Soak slices in plain water to eliminate any remaining dirt. Skim out of the water with a slotted spoon, leaving the dirt behind in the water -discard dirty water. (this double-cleaning helps save your knives from getting dull from the grit in dirt)

Scrub the potatoes. You do not need to peel the potatoes, but, it depends on how rustic you wish your soup to look, so peel if you like. Some people think that the peels on red potatoes make the soup more colorful. Cut the potatoes to medium dice. If you left the skins on, make certain that no pieces with skin are larger than ½ inch long.

Mince the chives.

In a 5-quart or larger pot, heat the olive oil to medium-high and add the leeks. Add a teaspoon of salt and the ground rosemary. Cook while stirring to sweat the leeks evenly. When some of the leeks begin to brown, add the potatoes and water. Add another teaspoon of salt. Bring to a simmer, cover and allow to cook gently for about 20 minutes. Add additional water if needed to cover potatoes.

Test the potatoes for doneness and taste for seasoning. Add salt if needed. Add the chives, and serve or keep warm (at 140° to 150°) for up to 7 hours.