Leek Soup

Leek Soup

Soups are my favourite meals throughout the summer.  My girls always find it so comical when I make soups in hot weather, but I think it's the best time of year to make a soup while vegetables are fresh and in season.  My mother-in-law has taught me to make soups in big batches and freeze them for future use throughout the winter.  This way, we eat light and avoid heating up the house  by not using the oven.

As an adult, I've grown to love leeks and this is one of my favourite soups.  It's super quick to make and there's no fuss in its preparation. There's no need to worry about how big or small the vegetables are cut, as they're going to get pureed towards the end of cooking.  

My mother-in-law always added cream after pureeing the vegetables.  This helps thicken the soup during its last few minutes of cooking.  I, on the other hand, have replaced the cream with a few handfuls of grated Gruyere cheese which adds a special  flavour, turning this soup into a "gourmet onion soup" (In my opinion).  The added chives don't only make for a nice garnish, but also add a special something to the final taste.

INGREDIENTS:
Butter
Large Onion
3 to 4 cloves of Garlic
3 Leeks
4 sticks of Celery + Lovage (leaves)
4 to 6 Potatoes
Vegetable Bouillon
Cream (Optional)
Chives (to Garnish and taste)
Salt & Pepper (to taste)
Gruyere Cheese