Three Onion Potato Soup
On our way to the pumpkin patch, we stopped at the Mt. Vernon farmers market. Someday, my kids will get me a "I Brake for Farmers Markets!" bumper sticker. It was still foggy, the market was just waking up, and a string trio played bluegrass renditions of old hymns. Really puts you in the mood for buying celery and leeks, which is just what we did.
And this was some SERIOUS celery, the likes of which I have never seen before. Almost 2' long, bright green--when I got it home, I filled a whole salad spinner with the leaves. I treated them like I would a fresh herb or lettuce--washed and spun dry, then laid out on a length of paper towels which I rolled up and slipped into a Ziploc. I used them in a salad tonight and am planning a celery and celery leaf stir-fry with curry and coconut milk. I know--this is a sickness I have.
Sunday afternoon soup while the house was napping: a knob of butter in the Dutch oven, then onions, garlic, leeks, bits of celery, some parmesan rind. Add celery leaves, fresh lemon thyme (God bless that little nubbin of a plant on my deck), salt, a squeeze of lemon. Hunks of fingerling potatoes, a bargain at $1/pound because they were unwashed. With a bit (okay--a little more than a bit) of cream at the end, we'll have a ready dinner for the next three nights.
P.S. Wyatt and Loretta inhaled these golden fall raspberries. They were so happy that they posed for me without protest. When I come across this photo ten years from now, I know I'll miss these years. I might even miss this particular fall morning, on the Skagit River with a stroller full of celery.
P.S.S. Dearest Emily gave me an immersion blender! I guess she was sick of all my thinly-veiled hints. We went out for lunch last week, and she lugged a wrapped immersion blender and a bunch of other treats in her bag, and I didn't notice the whole 10 blocks we walked. I was too busy talking her ear off. So I knew some sort of pureed soup was in order this week.
Three Onion Potato Soup
The three "onions" here are all in the alium family--yellow onions, garlic, and leeks. It fulfills my need to creatively name recipes. Celery is a big player here, too. If you don't have celery leaves (store-bought bunches are usually pretty bald), you can sub a teaspoon of celery seeds. And you probably don't have some parmesan rinds in your fridge--that's alright. You can leave them out or throw a handful of grated parmesan in. I loved the fingerlings in here--their waxy texture helps them keep their shape. You can use any kind of potato, though.
4 Tb. butter
2 Tb. olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
3 leeks, white and pale green parts only, finely diced and washed well
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt
freshly ground pepper
Parmesan rind (if you have them lying around like me)
2 stalks celery, finely diced
2 Tb. fresh thyme, finely chopped
1/4 c. finely chopped celery leaves
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 lb. fingerling potatoes, quartered if they're biggish, halved if they're small, left whole if they're tiny
3/4 c. cream
Heat butter and olive oil in a large, heavy stockpot. Add onion, leeks, garlic, and salt, and pepper, and saute until soft, about 10 minutes.
Add Parmesan rind, celery, thyme, and celery leaves and saute for about 10 minutes more. Add lemon juice, potatoes, and cover the whole thing with enough water so there's about 1/2" inch of water above the ingredients. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
Remove about 1/4 of the soup and puree in a blender or food processor and return to the pot. (Or use your new immersion blender!) Add cream, bring to a simmer again, and simmer until thickened a bit more, about 10 more minutes.
Serve garnished with grated parmesan and finely chopped celery leaves, if you like.
October 12, 2009
Reader Comments (30)
About cream ...
What makes it break sometimes and not other times? Why do I end up with fabulo-sity at randome times and ... well ... ick other times?
For some reason, I have issues putting leeks into soup. There's something about the flavor that's a little off to me...but with all the other great stuff going on in this soup, I think I should try it out.
That picture of your kids is adorable!
I'm very happy that you have your cooking passion (not sickness) that brings at leat one dollop of inspiration to you every day. Thanks for sharing it with me and us.
I have celery leaf envy. That's the best part of the celery imo. You just can't find a celery bunch in the store with a healthy amount of leaves. Don't people know what they're missing????
p.s.Love that shot of your kids too.
That is the cutest pic of my niece and nephew ever! Soup looks amazing too!
I only got one large plant this year in my garden and it's award winning. Just yesterday I realized how anxious I was over how to use it since I only have one plant, and can make only one dish. I want it to give it a chance to shine, so I started rummaging through all my cookbooks to find just the perfect recipe that would win it a trophy...........and I think this is it!
It really needs to be with other vegetables that don't come in and take over the show,and are comfortable with a supportive role. ........and I love how normal you make me feel. I thought I was the only one who stalks celery leaves. I have Joes's Garden to blame for that, they have the most beautiful celery I've ever bought, you don't want to waste any part of it. I think I might just give you a new name, the "vegetable stalker" it kinda suits you.
Vegetable stalker - hehe. Perfect fit. Thought I would let you know that I have a batch of the preserved lemons on the counter doing its thing. Very pretty and I am very excited to try them out. Kevin caught me talking to them this morning in my jammies. The jammie part isn't important - but I headed out to them first thing to see how they were doing. They seem to be doing just fine.
Congrats on your new blender!! I wondered why, in some of the recipes, you PUT things into the blender...thought for sure you would have an immersion blender. I use my immersion blender all the time. Esp with soups - it is a lifesaver and SO EASY TO CLEAN. I love that part. My pour blender has taken a seat in the very back row to the immersion blender. Enjoy!!
Very sweet photo of the kids. take care...
I still have soup on my mind...pour instead of poor. Oh dear.
Lovin' those kiddos and berries and cherries and living vicariously through you walking down the street with Em and having lunch....mmmm, lucky ladies :) Loving your musings, Blessings to your day MK~
Mmmm... definitely going to try this. I'm feeling awfully soupy lately. And the leeks in my garden will be happy to be put to good use and not left out in the cold to shrivel and die.
I wish I could just reach into my computer with a spoon and eat that! YUM!
PERFECT! Exactly the recipe I was looking for yesterday when my brother dropped off a huge pile of leeks and celery from his garden. Thank you.
we get celery from our csa that looks more like parsley than celery! i know what you're talking about. i can't imagine how you lived all these years without an immersion blender...seriously. i use mine almost daily (they make smoothies a snap!). this soup sounds like the perfect antidote to the frigid chill in the air.
Sarah, once again... you do impress!!! I am going to make this soup... I don't usually attempt "chowder-type" soups, but this one has my mouth watering as I read! I can't wait to find out how it tastes!!!
This is such a beautiful soup. So comfort food.
BTW, Roo was looking over my shoulder at the banner on this blog yesterday, and he said, "Look mom, look at those bowls and spoons. It's so cute!"
I made this for supper and it was delicious. I never follow recipes exactly though as I am a slightly haphazard cook. Here's hoping I can duplicate it the next time I try it.
Join the club, Jes. Recipes are made to be tinkered with.
That is so sweet. Compliments from kids are the best.
Yummo! I think I will have to try this soup soon. Fingerling potatoes are the best. I got an immersion blender for Christmas last year from my dear hubby. I *heart* it and use it ALL the time. Soups, smoothies, pesto. I just made some butternut squash soup the other night (with some sweet potato for depth) topped it with some baby argula and pumpkin seeds.
I also wanted to tell you, your brussel sprout post had me craving brussels for days! Last night I finally got my fix. I seared some chicken thighs, then put them in the oven. Sauteed the brussel sprouts in the chicken pan with olive oil & garlic, then added some chopped red delicious apple at the end. The only thing that would have made it better is a little bacon, which I didn't have. Thanks for the inspiration!
PS: You have beautiful kids!
Don't you just love your immersion blender? I don't know how I lived without one for so long...
Adorable pics of the kiddos!
I think my bumper sticker would say "I stop for garage sales!"
I hate onions, but even so this soup looks delicious to me!
I'm going to try this recipe. My sister and I were just talking about potato leek soup. I'm sure when she's over her cold she'll be commenting here.
Glad you're loving your immersion blender :)
Love Roo's comment.
Forgot to add...could those kids be any cuter?? That expression on Loretta's face and Wyatt's adult teeth coming in. LOVE.