Creamy Leek Soup

The story behind this leek soup recipe? Coming in from the rain one evening in Geneva, Gourmet food editor Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez was served a warm bowl of comfort—beautifully smooth and gently suggestive of leeks. Her version is velvety and luxurious but not at all heavy; dolloped with cool, billowy whipped cream, the soup coaxes out the vegetable’s most sensuous side.

Before you begin, wash your leeks with fervor—bits of grit tend to hide in each layer of these alliums. Lifting the chopped leeks out of the rinsing bowl after washing makes it more likely that any dirt will remain in the bottom of the bowl and not wind up in your pot. (You can also wash your leeks in a salad spinner and simply lift the insert up after cleaning the leeks.)

This is an ideal soup recipe for the still-cool days of spring, when leeks are especially sweet. Serve it in large warmed bowls with bread and salad for a cozy dinner, or offer smaller bowls as a starter for a more formal meal. If you’d prefer not to blend the soup in batches, you can also get it silky-smooth with the use of an immersion blender.

Editor’s note: This recipe was originally published in the May 2007 issue of ‘Gourmet’ and first appeared online December 31, 2014.