Potato and Leek Soup

If you know me, you know I love to make soup, I love the process of making the broth from scratch and hand crafting soup.  My Mother In Law who has Celiacs Disease cannot eat Wheat, so I enjoy making soup she can consume.  I try to make her soup every two weeks or so, and this time I decided to try something a bit lighter.

I started with Alton Brown's recipe and tweaked it quite a bit actually.  It was smooth and delicious.  My husband likes more of  a Thick Soup or in the words of Rachael Ray, Stoup!  He thought it was good but needed more substance.  Mom and I loved it just as it was.

1 pound leeks, cleaned and dark green sections removed, approximately 4 to 5 medium

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Heavy pinch kosher salt, plus additional for seasoning

14 ounces, approximately 3 to 4 Russet Potatoes, peeled and diced small

 2-3 quarts chicken broth, homemade if possible

1 fat free half and half

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1 cup of grated sharp cheddar cheese

Slice the leeks.

In a 6-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the leeks and a heavy pinch of salt and sweat for 5 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook until the leeks are tender, approximately 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the potatoes and the broth, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer until the potatoes are soft, approximately 45 minutes.

Turn off the heat and puree the mixture with an immersion blender until smooth. Stir in the half and half , white pepper and cheese. (I broke my immersion blender, so I ladled it into my Blend Tec blender and pureed it, be very careful doing it that way)

Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Sprinkle with chives and serve immediately, or chill and serve cold.