Cold vichyssoise

Luisa, author of Cocinando con mi Carmela, brings us the recipe for vichyssoise or leek cream soup, a very easy-to-make recipe that is a hit wherever it goes. Recipes like this, which work both served cold in warm weather and hot in cold months, are extremely handy, you'll see.

At home, summer and dinner time are an odyssey, since you get back late from the pool or go out for a walk... and there is always a bit of chaos and the last thing you want is to think about what to prepare. That's why I try to have something ready for the evenings, and this cream soup is one of my lifesavers: the chilled vichyssoise is much liked at home, and when autumn arrives we can serve it hot.

I also try to make them as low in fat as possible, so I usually don't add cream and it's delicious just the same. Let's move on to the recipe and you can tell me what you think.

Cocotte redonda Evolution Le Creuset and Laura Ashley porcelain bowls.

Ingredients

• 300gr of leek, white part only
• 60gr of extra virgin olive oil
• 50gr of butter (optional)
• 250gr of potatoes
• 700gr of water or vegetable broth
• Salt and pepper
• Nutmeg

Preparation

1. In a Shallow Casserole add oil and when it's hot lightly sauté the chopped leeks. Cook gently so they don't stick.
2. Once they're ready add the potato cut in halves or quarters (depending on how large they are) and the water. Season with salt and pepper and let simmer over medium-high heat for about 30 minutes, until the leek and potato soften.
3. When the time has passed, add the butter (optional) let cool and blend well with an electric mixer, it will become a smooth cream.
4. Add nutmeg and let cool in the refrigerator.

Notes

• Optionally, after cooking and before blending you can add butter, a cheese wedge or cooking cream. In my case I don't add cream, but you have the option to do so, it's a matter of taste.
• For cooking I used a casserole, which heats up very quickly and distributes heat well along the height of its walls. But you can use a stainless steel pot or a pressure cooker to save time. If you choose the latter, sauté the leek in it without covering, and when it's ready add the water, salt and potato and then cover. Continue with the rest of the steps normally (adjusting the cooking time for your pressure cooker).

Laura Ashley porcelain bowls, Laura Ashley kitchen apron and Le Creuset Evolution round casserole.

• You can serve it hot in winter and chilled in summer, a perfect cream for dinners at home.
• When serving, garnish with seeds and mint leaves, the cream will look much more attractive and will gain a crunchy touch. You can also add some fried bread cubes.