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I haven't felt like cooking for awhile.
Until recently, much of my life was stuffed into neatly numbered apple cartons, piled high in a storage space a few hundred miles away. We spent the summer painfully searching, finding, buying, and (finally) moving into a new home. And then there was the whole unpacking-getting settled thing. Which seriously may continue until my pre-schooler grandchildren graduate from college.
Living full-time in a community we previously only lived in part-time was a big change in my life. Until we lived here in the mountains full-time, I viewed this more of a vacation get-away place than a home that would be the center of my friendships and day-to-day activities. I like to feel connected to a community, and much of my attention suddenly turned outside the home in that effort.
All of this made me feel scattered to the winds. None of this inspired me into the kitchen.
Six o'clock rolled around without any thought of dinner. As if I was surprised that we were supposed to eat dinner every night. So we ate out. A lot.
But that got old too. I missed my connection to the kitchen, to food, to being alone as I created something new.
Cooking is a trusty barometer for my sense of well-being. I was having fun, meeting new people, and exploring neighboring mountain towns, but I was also feeling unsettled.
And suddenly it happened. I woke up one morning bursting with ideas, and recipes I wanted to try out. I was re-energized, and felt back in my own skin again, if that makes any sense. Like coming home to myself. And just in time for fall comfort food -- one of my favorite times of the year.
So here's a potato soup I've been playing with. I highly recommend using Idaho® potatoes, as I genuinely believe they have the best texture and flavor of any others. Here are some additional notes:
Cook's Notes:
Make your life easy and use Gourmet Garden's garlic pastes. They're as fresh as if you'd done all the chopping and mincing yourself, without all the work.
Feel free to use vegetable stock in place of water, but it will mute the flavors of the soup a bit. Using water allows the flavors to shine through.
Hatch green chilis grow in the Hatch Valley of New Mexico, but may not be readily available where you live. I've included a link in the recipe for where you can purchase them online, or you can substitute ½ of a poblano chile. Hatch green chilis may look like Anaheim peppers, but are much hotter. So don't be fooled by their appearance.
If you don't have Asiago cheese, use Parmesan if you must, but know that it's not the same. Asiago is a wetter cheese than Parmesan, and has better melting characteristics. So go to the extra effort to find some Asiago.
More Soups to Love
If you like hearty soups that are quick to make, check out this vegetarian barley soup. It includes a potato for heft, and brightened with a squeeze of lime and a little mint.
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Potato Leek Soup with Chiles
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- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 leeks white and light green parts only, roughly chopped - (about 4 cups)
- 1 ½ tablespoons garlic paste
- 2 tablespoons white wine
- 6 cups water
- 2 pounds Idaho® russet potatoes peeled and thinly sliced - (about 6 cups)
- 1 roasted Hatch green chile stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped (or substitute ½ roasted poblano chile)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 scallions sliced into 1-inch segments including the dark green stems
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup grated Asiago cheese
- Garnish: Chives finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Melt the butter over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed soup pot. I use a Le Creuset pot. Add the chopped leeks and sauté, stirring regularly, until soft and wilted, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, and cook another minute. Some light browning on the bottom of the pot is completely normal.
- Stir in the wine and scrape up any browning of the bottom of the pot. There's a lot of flavor packed in there. Cook only until the wine is absorbed, 2 - 3 minutes.
- Add the water, potatoes, chile, bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, salt, and black pepper to the pot and bring to a boil. Cover and turn the heat down to low, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender without falling apart.
- Remove the bay leaf, and stir in the scallions and heavy cream. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Garnish with chopped chives if desired, and add a little grated Asiago to serve.
Bevi
Nice to see you, Suzanne!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thanks so much Bevi!! I hope you've been well!
Susan
Good to see you in my inbox! For health reasons, we've gone mostly plant-based now, but this recipe does look good! And I appreciate your story! I had a kitchen slump myself and wasn't sure who or what to blame. Knowing I wasn't in the boat alone has given me some spunk back! Thank you Susan!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
I'm so glad I'm not alone in this :-). Thanks so much for your comment. By mostly plant-based, I'm assuming you mean no dairy? If so, I think you could omit the cream and substitute it with vegetable broth/stock, and omit the cheese. Or try a vegan cheese. If you try it this way, I'd love to hear how it turned out. Have a great day!
Susan
Thanks!! I will try that! I just got some beautiful spuds in my CSA box last week, so next week it should be on the menu! I'll definitely report back!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
I look forward to it 🙂 !
Rosemary Mark
Hi Susan! So good to hear/see you! Thank you so much for sharing the reality of being a cook/blogger/developer. I so hear you! It's not always fun and games. I lose my cooking mojo too and then sometimes it's so delightful to cook just because I enjoy it and not take notes, photos etc. Yet, then I get very excited about the food and want to share it again!
I'm sure your soup is yummy. It's on my list for when I can't think of what to cook!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Exactly, Rosemary! There are times I just want to cook, and not have to worry about whether the light will still be good for a photo, and without having to plan how I'll set up the photo. And this summer, I just didn't want to cook at all. I was the take-out queen, and I regularly visited all 5 of our restaurants here in our small town. OK, maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but only slight if you eliminated the pizza joints, lol.
Rita
So nice to hear your voice again
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thanks so much Rita. I miss seeing you guys at the SFPFS meetings, picnics, etc. Hope all is well in your world!
Diane@TastyKitchenn
This soup is calling my name! There is something about a silky smooth potato soup after a long, cold day!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thanks so much! It's perfect for chilly fall or winter day! I hope you give it a try and like it!!
Sheila
After all the festivities and food during the holidays, I am looking for something light. I think this potato leek soup would be a great option. Can't wait to try this. Glad we have available ingredients right now. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
The Wimpy Vegetarian
I completely understand. I'm craving healthy food right now! Hope you enjoy this soup!!
Keisha
first time making Potato Leek Soup, my son loves and and since we are on lock down. I thought i would give it a try. Not ready yet, but smells amazing. thanks for the step by step, i am more of a visual cook.
The Wimpy Vegetarian
I hope you like it!!! I'm a visual cook too, so I get it! Thanks so much for letting me know!