Clarkson Family Recipe Book

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large leek, white and light green parts only, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 carrots
1.5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
6 cups chicken broth
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup heavy cream

Method:
Melt the butter over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add the leeks and cook, stirring regularly, until soft and wilted, about 10 minutes, but do not let them brown. Add the garlic and sauté until just fragrant.

Add the carrots, potatoes, broth, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper to pot and bring to a boil. Cover and turn the heat down to low. Simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are very soft.

Fish out the thyme sprig and bay leaves, then purée the soup with a hand-held immersion blender until smooth. (Alternatively, use a standard blender to purée the soup in batches and see note below.)

(For freezer-friendly version stop here and see note below.)
Add the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If soup is too thin, simmer until thickened. If it’s too thick, add water or stock to thin it out. Serve with bread or rolls – or cheese biscuits.

Blending: If using a standard blender to purée the soup be sure not to fill the blender more than halfway; leave the hole in the lid open and cover loosely with a dishtowel to allow the heat to escape; and pour blended soup into a clean pot.

Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The soup can be frozen, without the cream, for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until hot. Once heated through, add the cream and bring to a simmer before serving.

Makes 6 servings