Vichyssoise (Vichyssoise)

Overview

Vichyssoise is a smooth, chilled soup of leeks and potatoes cooked in butter and stock, puréed and enriched with cream. Served cold and topped with snipped chives, it is elegant and refreshing in warm weather, though the same soup can be eaten hot, when it is essentially a French potato and leek soup. The secret is to use only the white part of the leeks, which keeps the colour pale, and to sieve it for a silky texture. Serve it in chilled bowls.

History

The chilled version is usually credited to Louis Diat, a French chef working at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in New York in the early twentieth century. He said he was inspired by the hot leek and potato soup of his childhood near Vichy, in central France, and named the cold soup after the town. Whether it is French or American is still debated with good humour.

Main ingredients

Leeks, potatoes, butter, stock, cream, chives. The soup is built on leek and potato purée and is usually served cold. Diet: vegetarian; usually gluten-free.

Explore: Potato soups · Leek soups · More soups from United States

Recipe

4Serves

55 min15 prep · 40 cook

~280kcal / serving

EasyDifficulty

Method

1. 1
   10 min

   Sweat the leeks in butter without browning for 10 minutes.

2. 2
   25 min

   Add potatoes and stock and simmer for 25 minutes.

3. 3

   Blend until very smooth, sieve and stir in the cream.

4. 4

   Chill thoroughly, season and serve topped with chives.

5. ✓

   Serve. About 55 min from start to bowl.

Pictures

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Sources

• Vichyssoise (Wikipedia)

Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.