Mushroom, Leek, and Potato Soup

If I had to credit one cookbook author with teaching me how to cook it would be Deborah Madison.  I cooked my way almost entirely through Vegetarian Suppers and then moved on to The Greens Cookbook, where I found this recipe.  In this soup, mushrooms are reduced in white wine and then added to potatoes and leeks simmered in a mushroom broth.  It is already bursting with delicious flavor even before it is topped with finely chopped fresh herbs, which make it even more special. 


I originally picked out this recipe because we are still avoiding a lot of foods until PJ's stomach heals, and I thought it would just be a very plain and simple soup.  I was pleasantly surprised by how elaborate the flavors turned out to be, and would highly recommend it even for those who are not on bland diets!  I guess it was silly of me to expect anything less from Deborah Madison!

Mushroom, Leek, and Potato Soup
Adapted from The Greens Cookbook by Deborah Madison

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons butter
1 small red onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 medium leeks, white parts only (8 oz), sliced into 1/4-inch rounds or half rounds*
1 pound potatoes, quartered and thinly sliced
Salt
4 cups (1 quart) mushroom or vegetable stock plus 2 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil
8-12 ounces white mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine
Pepper
1/8 cup finely chopped fresh herbs: combination of parsley, chervil, tarragon, and/or thyme

*Tip: Leeks have dirt and sand that gets stuck between its layers.  To clean, chop the leeks while still dirty, then thoroughly rinse them off in a bowl full of water.  The dirt will fall to the bottom of the bowl.  Lift the leeks out and pat them dry with a towel.

DIRECTIONS:

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a soup pot and add the onion and leeks.  Cook over medium high heat for several minutes, stirring frequently, until just beginning to become soft and translucent.  Lower the heat and add the potatoes, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 2 cups of the stock.  Cover the pot and stew the vegetables over low heat for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of butter and the olive oil in a wide skillet.  Add the mushrooms and saute over high heat until they begin to release their juices, stirring as needed.  Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and the wine.  Cook until the wine is reduced and syrupy.  If the soup pot has been stewing for 10 minutes at this point and the mushrooms are not ready, turn off the soup and let it sit until they are ready.  Scrape the mushrooms into the pot and add the remaining stock and water.  Bring to a boil and simmer covered until the potatoes are completely soft, about 25 minutes.

Taste the soup and season with more salt if needed and freshly ground black pepper.  Serve the soup garnished with fresh herbs.  If there are leftovers, stir in the rest of the herbs and refrigerate or freeze.

Variation: For a creamy soup, stir in 1/2 to 1 cup of light or heavy cream at the very end.