Vichyssoise (Leek & Starchy Vegetable/Root Soup)

Sometimes you just nee a nice, simple bowl of soup for your dining pleasure.

And sometimes you also bought too many leeks at the store because they were on sale!

Vichyssoise is very forgiving.  Don't have a lot of potatoes?  Use cauliflower, potatoes, celeriac--whatever you have on hand.  You can even toss in sweet potato chunks and be successful!  Don't have leeks?  Onions work as well!

Ingredients:

1 T. olive oil
3 leeks, white and tender green parts only, thinly sliced.
6 cups of peeled and chopped starchy vegetables (I used potatoes, cauliflower, and celeriac)
6-8 cups chicken broth (enough to cover the veggies, and my chicken broth was very dense, so I did half broth, half water)
Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

Clean and slice your leeks.

Chop up yo' veggies/tubers.

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add in leeks and stir.  Allow to cook until soft, about 10-15 minutes.

Add in broth and bring to a simmer.

Add veggies/tubers, bring to a simmer again, and cook for 20-30 minutes, until veggies are fork-tender.

Using an immersion blender or a processor/blender, puree the soup.  Season with salt and pepper.  Some people put cream in their vichyssoise.  I don't think it needs it.

Serve hot!

Potato and Celeriac Mash

What is celeriac, you ask?

What is this bundle of ugly that I see at my supermarket every week next to the bell peppers and eggplants?  It's celery root!  It has a nice, starchy texture like potatoes, with a hint of celery flavor (it's milder when cooked), but it's got half the carbs and calories and twice the fiber!

This was my first foray into cooking it, so I decided I'd combine it with potatoes to make sure I could take the flavor :D.

Ingredients:

1 pound celeriac (celery root), washed, peeled, and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pound potatoes (I used Yukons), washed, peeled, and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 cup milk
3 T. butter
Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

Bring a pot of salted water to boil, big enough to boil the potatoes and celeriac.  Cook until a fork easily pierces the cubes, about 10 minutes.  Drain into a colander.

Place the potatoes and celeriac back into the pot and mash with a potato-masher or a fork.

 Once it's almost entirely mashed up, take an electric mixer and whip the mixture.  Add in the milk and butter and continue whipping until it reaches the desired texture.  Salt and pepper to taste and serve!