Leek and Yogurt Soup

As soon as I saw that I had leeks in our CSA bag, I thought of a soup recipe that my mom told me about two weeks ago. I made a mental note to ask her for the recipe. Being an expert mom who is very in tune with her motherly psychic abilities, as soon as my mom saw my post about having leeks, she sent me the recipe.

As advertised, the soup was delicious. It’s light and refreshing but also a little tart thanks to the yogurt. The yogurt really makes the soup here. It tasted nice before I added the yogurt, but was really superb once I’d added it. I think sour cream or creme fraiche would also work in the soup. Like with most soups, it is a time consuming endeavor, but it cooks unattended for the most part, so basically it’s a 15 minute time investment on the part of the cook.

I used chicken broth instead of vegetable broth as recommended by the original recipe, but I’m sure that didn’t affect the soup much. I also ended up straining the soup after blending since my immersion blender was not feeling up to the task of pureeing all the parts of the leeks. I’m sure it freezes well, but I won’t be able to tell you since it was all gone the same day I made it.

The recipe:

4 medium leeks
6 large cloves of garlic
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 cup white wine
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup plain Greek yogurt

TKT: 1 hour

Yield: 4 servings

Cut the leeks in half lengthwise and wash thoroughly, making sure to get rid of all the sand and grit. Chop the garlic cloves.

Melt the butter in a heavy stockpot over medium heat.

Saute the leeks and garlic very slowly, never letting them brown or burn. Cook until the leeks are nearly translucent – about 10 minutes.

Add the white wine and pepper and let cook for about five minutes.

Then add the broth and turn the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 45-60 minutes.

Puree in a blender or with an immersion blender. If the soup doesn’t become smooth, strain it. Add the yogurt to the blended soup. Serve cool or at room temperature.