I Guess You FKers Could Put Kraut On It: Potato Leek Soup ← FREE KRAUT!

I Guess You FKers Could Put Kraut On It: Potato Leek Soup 65

7 Jan 2012  |  DFA  |KOTD

Made this tonight and it was quite good so I thought I would share.  Simple winter warming food.

Six medium leaks

2 lbs yukon gold potatoes

4 rashes of bacon

2.5 Cups Straus Family Creamery Organic Whole Non Homogenized Milk

4 Tbsp non salted butter

FRESH GRATED black peper

Sea or Kosher Salt

1 qt free range chicken broth ( you could use vegetable broth but do you know who else used vegetable broth….)

Step 1 Prep

Cut the green off your leeks and slice length wise to expose the middle.   Run under warm water to clean all dirt (nothing worse than gritty leeks). Then slice in basically every centimeter. At the end it will look like this.

Dice your potatoes.  Leave some larger and some smaller so the smaller ones break down when you stir later and you still have some chunks when you are done.

Step 2 BACON

Fry your bacon until crispy in your soup making pot ( I chose my new Staub Duch Oven that was my Christmas Present).  Reserve Bacon for garnish.

Step 3 SOUP

Fry your leaks until transparent in the bacon fat and 4 tbsp of butter.  Breathe in, that smells hella good.  Then add the potatoes and the cream.  Bring to a simmer and then reduce heat.  Stir occasionally making sure to scrape the bottom so nothing sticks.  Add salt and lots and lots of pepper to taste (trust me, go to where you think wow thats a lot of pepper and then two more grinds, there isn’t much seasoning in this soup so you need to be a little heavy handed with the pepper.  As always let taste be your guide.) As the liquid reduces add the stock in parts, almost like you are doing with a risotto so that it reduces and concentrates flavors before you add more and repeat.  Stir occasionally until the larger potatoes cook and the smaller ones break down into the liquid to thicken it about 45 minutes. If you like it thick add less stock, if you like it thinner, add more.

Step 4 GARNISH

Crumble that bacon on top! and serve.

65 thoughts on “I Guess You FKers Could Put Kraut On It: Potato Leek Soup”

  1. Leopold Bloom Jan 7,2012 9:28 pm

    Hey, I could eat that!

  2. ptbnl Jan 7,2012 9:42 pm

    Or you could sculpt 10lbs of marzipan.

    If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
    • Leopold Bloom Jan 7,2012 10:06 pm || Up

      nice.

    • dmoas Jan 7,2012 10:12 pm || Up

      Shit man. If this is what happens if players don’t beg to stay with the A’s, we wouldn’t have a free agent issue.

      • Leopold Bloom Jan 7,2012 10:49 pm || Up

        [sigh]

        I miss pig already.

        • doctorK Jan 8,2012 1:51 pm || Up

          Me too. He was delicious.

          • Leopold Bloom Jan 8,2012 5:43 pm || Up

            why is he wearing a tin foil hat? Is Major League Baseball trying to steal his thoughts?

  3. the llama Jan 7,2012 10:17 pm

    If you like it, put a kraut on it

  4. nevermoor Jan 7,2012 11:03 pm

    On a similar note, made this when I had one of my vegetarian friends over. Had never done cheese rind in soup before.

    Also: MB, what’s your super-easy bean prep? My comment-search-fu is failing. Also, for you FKers that don’t know, Rainbow now carries bulk Rancho Gordo.

    "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    • Leopold Bloom Jan 7,2012 11:11 pm || Up

      what’s Rancho Gordo?

      You mean the quick cook that doesn’t require overnight soaking?

      • nevermoor Jan 7,2012 11:37 pm || Up

        Heirloom beans.

        I’m soaking ’em now, I just want something basic to do to see what they taste like.

        "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
      • Future Ed Jan 8,2012 8:34 am || Up

        you’ll never get over Rancho Gordo

        I have $5. No I don\'t.
    • Glorious Mundy Jan 7,2012 11:32 pm || Up

      How much per pound on the bulk Rancho Gordos? And what kind of variety? I’m very excited by this news.

      • nevermoor Jan 7,2012 11:35 pm || Up

        Like 5 or 6. And I get the sense it varies. All are 1 number.

        I got snowcaps.

        "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
        • Glorious Mundy Jan 7,2012 11:42 pm || Up

          Hmm, OK. They’re $5.50 a pound at the ferry building farmers market, and they usually have around 10 varieties or so. Every one I’ve tried so far has been amazing.

          • nevermoor Jan 8,2012 9:22 am || Up

            That’s probably what it is, minus the having-to-go-a-specific day.

            "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    • monkeyball Jan 8,2012 7:09 am || Up

      Rainbow has had Rancho Gordo in bulk for at least … 3 years? IIRC, it’s marginally cheaper than buying in bags at the FBFM.

      They don’t necessarily need an overnight soak — but they do need … eh, 4-6 hours or so.

      1. Rinse, then soak beans
      2. Prepare a mirepoix — minced/diced root veg (depending on your knife skilz, type of root veg, type of soup — the smaller the better), traditionally onion or garlic, carrot, celery. I almost always use Dirty Girl’s shallots (euphemism alert?). You don’t need much — 1/4 C of mirepoix is more than enough for 2qt soup. Gitcher soup pot out, and saute the veg on med heat until they’re at least soft — perhaps even brown them a bit.
      3. If you’re adding meat, now’s the time — dice your pancetta/chicken thigh meat/etc and add it to the mirepoix. Might want to turn the heat up a notch before adding — you def want the meat to brown.
      4. Dump the beans — WATER AND ALL (don’t toss the water — you’ll lose taste and vitamins) — into the pot with the mirepoix. Add enough water to cover the beans by >1″. You can use stock if you want, but there’s no need, especially with Gordo — you want to be able to taste the beans.
      5. Bring to a boil, turn down to simmer, and cook until beans are done to your liking. If you’re making soup, undercook the beans a bit, as they’ll keep softening through the soup-cooking.

      you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
      • nevermoor Jan 8,2012 9:24 am || Up

        Thanks.

        "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
      • DFA Jan 8,2012 10:21 am || Up

        Why do you use shallots? Im a huge shallot fan but I always use onions for my mirepoix because I don’t think you get the subtlety from the shallots that usually make me use shallots.

        Also if you are adding meat why wouldn’t you sear your meat first to render your fat so that you can they saute the mirepoix?

        In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
        • monkeyball Jan 8,2012 12:08 pm || Up

          Both good suggestions. I just had the shallots handy, and had a lot of them.

          you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
          • DFA Jan 8,2012 12:12 pm || Up

            Makes sense. I was just wondering what the logic was if there was something I that would be better.

            In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
            • nevermoor Jan 8,2012 1:03 pm || Up

              Thanks guys. I’m going to give it a go tonight (and holy shit but snowcaps expand dramatically under water. They went from small pinto to full-on lima size.

              "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
        • lynnzgal Jan 10,2012 8:50 pm || Up

          You actually don’t need to sear your meat depending on the cooking time. If you finish your casserole in the oven at a lower temp (say 300 deg.) for a longer time, you’ll still get browning you’re looking for.

          • DFA Jan 11,2012 12:48 pm || Up

            You do need to sear the meat if you want to render the fat so you can use it as your saute fat.

            In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
      • nevermoor Jan 8,2012 6:56 pm || Up

        Any estimate on the length of the cooking step? Are we talking 30? 60? 90?

        "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
        • monkeyball Jan 8,2012 7:18 pm || Up

          Depends on (a) how long you soaked them (b) how high a boil you have them on (c) type of beans. If you’ve soaked for 4+ hours, give them 30 min and then taste regularly.

          you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
          • nevermoor Jan 8,2012 7:31 pm || Up

            Thanks.

            "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    • monkeyball Jan 8,2012 7:10 am || Up

      Also: cheese rind in soup. Yum.

      you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
  5. Leopold Bloom Jan 8,2012 12:12 am

    I am completely lost. You people have me lost.

    I make beans pretty much non-stop. Black beans, navy beans, pinto beans, lentils. Apparently, now beans are becoming trendy? So I can expect to pay a shit ton of money for them soon, then? Thanks, rich people.

    Assholes.

    • sslinger Jan 8,2012 1:00 am || Up

      Oh you can, and some of us already do, pay a crapton for ’em. But you still don’t have to. I don’t think that’ll change any time soon.

    • monkeyball Jan 8,2012 7:11 am || Up

      I’ve been recommending these beans to you for a year, Bloom. You haven’t been saving up for them?

      you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
  6. monkeyball Jan 8,2012 7:11 am

    {snerk}

    Six medium leaks

    Dirty PBR-swilling hipsters.

    you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
    • monkeyball Jan 8,2012 7:12 am || Up

      Also:

      (nothing worse than gritty leeks)

      Yes, yes, there is.

      you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
      • DFA Jan 8,2012 10:22 am || Up

        #firstworldproblems

        In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
        • monkeyball Jan 8,2012 12:08 pm || Up
          you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
          • DFA Jan 8,2012 12:13 pm || Up

            lol

            In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
          • ptbnl Jan 8,2012 1:57 pm || Up

            you forgot

            /Al Swearengen

            If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
  7. monkeyball Jan 8,2012 7:22 am

    Soup sounds great, DFA. Think we need a gustatory category.

    Made soup last night myself:

    Mirepoix (I used 1/2 carrot and 2 heads of shallots plus 1 T of butter & 2 T olive oil)
    10 button mushrooms, roughly cubed
    10 king trumpet mushrooms, roasted under a chicken (don’t have to do this — this soup was an excuse to use up some over-roasted leftover mushrooms … but Ba’al almighty, these things made the soup) and roughly cubed
    1 bunch lacinato (“dino”) kale, julienned
    3 cups cooked brown rice

    Saute the mirepoix until the carrots & shallots soften. Add the button mushrooms, stir, turn heat up a bit (add more oil as necessary — mushrooms want a lot of oil). If using non-pre-roasted king trumpets, add them at same time as buttons; if using roasted, add after button soften. Add kale. Stir occasionally, saute for ~10 min at med heat. Add 1 cup of the brown rice and 2 qts water. Boil, then simmer for ~20 min. Turn heat off, and use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Then add the remaining 2 cups brown rice and stir in.

    you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
    • Leopold Bloom Jan 8,2012 7:29 am || Up

      oh my, that does sound good…

      • monkeyball Jan 8,2012 7:34 am || Up

        Avoid chicken-roasting the king trumpets and eschew butter in the mirepoix, it’s even FKing vegan.

        you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
        • DFA Jan 8,2012 10:24 am || Up

          and hey it only will taste 1/8 as good!!!!

          In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    • DFA Jan 8,2012 10:24 am || Up

      Sounds excellent.

      In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
  8. elcroata Jan 8,2012 9:43 am

    Good stuff, DFA!
    And I second the move for the Gustatory Category.

    (I am making Sarma right now and I took some pictures. Might post it now)

    Because survival is insufficient
    • andeux Jan 8,2012 9:47 am || Up

      I thought KOTD was the Gustatory Category.

      TINSTAAFK
      • Leopold Bloom Jan 8,2012 10:08 am || Up

        tis. late-arriving FKers…always wanna upset the applepickle cart. Imma start banning bitches and makin em email me call me wax my car have teh butt secks tap dance naked while I pelt them with loose change for me.

        • andeux Jan 8,2012 10:10 am || Up

          Hypothetically, would one get to keep the loose change?

          TINSTAAFK
          • Leopold Bloom Jan 8,2012 10:11 am || Up

            …in theory. Yes.

            • nevermoor Jan 8,2012 11:01 am || Up

              THANKS TO DFA’S FRIENDS AT THE STRIPPERS UNION!

              "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
              • DFA Jan 8,2012 11:03 am || Up

                My old union actually use to represent some dancers.

                In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
                • nevermoor Jan 8,2012 1:03 pm || Up

                  I was riffing off of your story about the prostitute union.

                  "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
                • DFA Jan 8,2012 1:18 pm || Up

                  I know. My old union use to rep the dancers at the Lusty Lady. I thought that would add color.

                  In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
                • monkeyball Jan 8,2012 7:19 pm || Up

                  I don’t always rep strippers. But when I do …

                  you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
                • dmoas Jan 8,2012 7:28 pm || Up

                  I prefer dos strippers.

                • DFA Jan 8,2012 7:37 pm || Up

                  asvd

                  In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
        • Future Ed Jan 8,2012 10:10 am || Up

          “make?”

          I have $5. No I don\'t.
          • Leopold Bloom Jan 8,2012 10:12 am || Up

            “allow.”

            • DFA Jan 8,2012 10:23 am || Up

              Its in the terms and conditions obviously.

              In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
      • monkeyball Jan 8,2012 12:10 pm || Up

        gp

        I’d always thought of it as a brassica-only category, but in the interest of stopping category creep, should probably just use that

        you better hope to God you don't show up in this little community, because you'll wish you had never come
        • nevermoor Jan 8,2012 1:04 pm || Up

          That’d be my vote. True-KOTD is rare enough that there’s room for other cooking in it.

          "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
  9. ptbnl Jan 8,2012 2:01 pm

    So rashes or rashers? I’ve always heard/user the latter, but apparently in parts of Australia is has evolved to the former.

    If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
    • DFA Jan 8,2012 2:30 pm || Up

      So according to wikipedia its the latter. I was always under the impression that it was a slice rather than a description of a particular type. I used regular applewood smoked streaky bacon.

      In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
      • Leopold Bloom Jan 8,2012 5:46 pm || Up

        I always thought it was Sam preparing Frodo a breakfast in the fields of The Shire.

        This is ‘Merica, bitch.

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