Janice's Potato Leek Soup

I make this ala Julia Child, only with minor variations! It's very elegant yet quick to make. The nutrition facts are at Calorie Count!

with creme fraiche and chives

Potato Leek Soup

Ingredients:

5 c potatoes, peel and chopped

3 c leeks, slice thinly

8 c water

1 T salt (I start with about half and add if needed, but I eat reduced sodium)

½ c cream (or butter)

watercress, chopped a bit

Optional Garnishes:

4 T creme fraiche

4 T chives, snipped

Directions:

Peel, rinse and dice the potatoes.

Thinly slice the white and very light green part of the leeks. Soak in water, refreshing the water a few times to remove grit - and leeks just love to contain grit, so don't skip this part.

Simmer veggies with water and salt for about an hour or til very tender.

If you want it smooth like Julia makes it, use a blender stick to puree (Julia does not approve of food processors). If you don't have a blender stick or just want it a bit chunkier (my preference), plunge an old style potato masher in it a few times to smash some of the potatoes a bit. Taste and add more salt if necessary.

Add the watercress to make it beautiful and more peppery and simmer a minute - add as much as you like, it's good for you as well as tasty!

The soup can be refrigerated at this point if not serving immediately.

If you are serving the soup right away, after it is pureed stir in either the cream or butter – this is your choice as you need to decide if you want creamy or buttery soup.

For an exquisite presentation more like Julia Child's famous soup, skip the watercress and add a dollop of creme fraiche and an artistic sprinkle of chives for each bowl.