Potato-Leek Soup and Vichysoisse: Classic Nonallergenic Soups

Potato-leek soup

     Potatoes, leeks and chicken stock are delicious together, with or without dairy products. Note that cream is not necessary for thickening a potato-leek soup: the starch in the potatoes accomplishes that.  

     The cream in a cream soup is added at the end of the cooking time; since it doesn't need to be cooked in, cream or nondairy "milk" can simply be placed on the table as an optional condiment. Thus, these soups can easily be dairy-free. If you make the chicken stock yourself instead of using paperboard cartons of chicken broth, this soup can also be free of the corn, soy or dairy products that lurk in the wax on these cartons..

     Note that you don't need to cut the leeks or the potatoes very small if you are going to blend the soup into vichysoisse!

Vichysoisse

     3 cups leeks, halved or quartered lengthwise and sliced (the white and 

          the tender green parts)

     3 cups peeled, diced potato

     3 Tb. oil (See Oil in the Glossary)

     6 cups chicken stock (See Broth in the Glossary)

     salt (See Salt in the Glossary)

     Saute the leeks on medium heat with a good sprinkle of salt in whichever oil you are not allergic to until they are translucent and softening; do not brown them at all. Add the potatoes and continue to cook for another minute or so. Add the chicken stock. Bring the soup to a boil and simmer until the vegetables are soft (half an hour or so, depending on how small the vegetables were cut). Adjust the salt to taste. You now have potato-leek soup, which is excellent hot. To turn it into vichysoisse, puree the soup thoroughly, in batches, in a good blender and chill it thoroughly. 

   Garnish with chopped fresh dill, chives or parsley or crumbled bacon (See Bacon in the Glossary) if you like. Serve with cream and/or any nondairy milk you can tolerate on the side.