Vichyssoise or cream of leeks

How to prepare a Vichyssoise.

Although you can get to hear vichisua (as I am commonly called in Spain) it is a well-known soup, and it is a variant of a traditional recipe of French cuisine.

This soup is a cold salty cream made with leek, onion, potato and cream.

Perfect for the summer, and although it is usually served very cold in a deep plate, bowl or bowl, it can also be taken warm, more appropriate for colder times.

Currently we can find them in the markets and greengrocers throughout the year, but the “summer” leek has a milder flavor than the winter one.

In most cases we use it as an ingredient to enhance a sofrito. To be part of a vegetable broth or cream, in a puree or to accompany meat or fish.

But  the leek also deserves to be the absolute protagonist and for this, today we propose this soft and light leek cream .

When you go to buy the leeks, make sure that the stem is white, straight and consistent. That it does not have spots or defective parts. At the top, the leaves will be green and firm, with no yellowed or discolored areas.

Once at home, they will keep perfectly in the fridge for a couple of weeks and about 3 months if you freeze them. Of course, then I recommend cooking them without defrosting, so they do not lose flavor and texture.

Whatever its origin, the recipe for vichyssoise or cold cream of leeks is already a very traditional recipe within the cream family.

I assure you that this cold sauce of leeks will be perfect with the steps that I present. I hope you like it and cheer up with it.

Before starting with the Vichyssoise

1. We clean the leeks well. This time we will only use the white part of the leeks, so we will cut through the area before the leaves, where we appreciate that the stem begins to have a green hue.
2. We also remove the lower part or root, where it has that kind of “whiskers”.
3. Do not throw away the excess part, you can take advantage of the leaves to add them to a vegetable broth and the stem in a sauce.
4. We run the white stems under running water to clean them and remove any dirt or dirt that they bring.
5. We cut them lengthwise into two halves and then chop them into portions about 2-3 cm thick. We reserve.
6. Peel the potatoes, wash them and “crack” them in cubes (similar in size to the leek pieces) on the leek.
7. In this way we achieve that they release more starch and the cream becomes thicker and more homogeneous.
8. Mix and braise for a couple of minutes.
9. Pour a little extra virgin olive oil and butter in a saucepan. As soon as it is hot we add the leeks that we have previously cut into slices.
10. We fry them taking the precaution that the leek is white, if possible without anything toasted.
11. If necessary, fry it at low temperature.

Crushed the Vichyssoise. Final presentation

1. Add the chicken, poultry or vegetable broth and cook the ingredients for about 30 minutes.
2. Then we crush it with a blender or American glass and let cool. It is best to put it in the fridge for an hour or two.
3. When it is very cold pour the cream and mix again, 1 minute is enough.
4. We try and if necessary rectify salt and pepper.
5. Let cool for a few hours in the fridge, remember that as best is very cool.
6. Once cold, serve on the table and decorate with strips of ham in the bowl, plate or bowl of each diner.
7. We can serve it as a first course decorating it with a little chopped chives.
8. Shavings of a good ham are also good (in case you are vegetarian, decorate with a little parsley or chopped chives).

We can serve the recipe for vichyssoise or cold cream of leeks as a first course. As you can see, a simple and very healthy recipe, perfect for a light first course.

It perfectly lasts a week in the fridge and you can freeze it without problem but without adding the cream.

You will tell me if you prepare it at home. You can see all the photos of the step by step in the next album.

Curiosities and origin of the Vichyssoise

• The origin of this cream is not very clear if it is French or American. They say that its inventor was Louis Diat, a French cook at the Ritz-Carlton in New York during the First World War.
• Diat recalled the steps of his invention for the New Yorker newspaper in 1950: “ In the summer of 1917, when I had been at the Ritz for seven years, I reflected on the leek and potato soup of my childhood, which my mother and grandmother used to do. I remembered how, during the summer, my older brother and I cooled it by pouring cold milk into it, and how delicious it was. I decided to do something like this for the Ritz patrons. ”
• In the same article it is explained that the soup was originally called crème vichyssoise glacée , and later the restaurant’s menu was changed from French to English in 1930, as cream vichyssoise glacée .
• To give the soup a well-known name, Diat chose that of the city of Vichy, which is located not far from his hometown of Montmarault.
• Other French chefs take credit for their invention. Like chef Jules Gouffe who claims to have been the first to cook it, publishing his recipe in the Royal Cookery (1869).