This Leek Soup has no leaks. Promise.
Yes, it's for real this time. Last week, when I titled a post "Leak Soup" some people were disappointed it wasn't a recipe for leek soup. (Y'all really think I'm that bad at spelling?) I felt guilty misleading my foodie friends, so here's a real recipe for Leek and Potato Soup with Roasted Corn.
As I was making the soup, I decided it needed a bit extra. Why not corn, I thought, and then immediately followed that with, why not roasted corn? Because anything that can be boiled, steamed, creamed or fried is better roasted.
I didn't have fresh corn, which is always preferred, but I did have frozen corn kernels. I prepared them the same way I did in this recipe and let them roast while the soup simmered. It was very little extra trouble, and added something missing from the original concept—namely, texture.
The husband had the leftovers for lunch the next day, and declared it better the second day. Including leftovers, this made three nice sized bowls. Add more potatoes and liquid accordingly if you wish to serve more.
Leek and Potato Soup with Roasted Corn
1 cup corn kernels, either fresh or frozen
1 tablespoon good olive oil
2 tablespoons non-hydrogenated margarine or olive oil
3 leeks, chopped
3 good-sized potatoes, cut in 1/2-inch dice
3 cups vegetable stock
1 cup soy cream
1 tablespoon fresh or dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
paprika
Toss the corn kernels with olive oil. Spread on a baking sheet and roast in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, until kernels start to brown.
Meanwhile, in a pan large enough to hold the soup, saute leeks in margarine or olive oil over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, until they are soft. Add the potatoes, stir until they are coated with oil. Add vegetable stock and cover. Simmer over medium heat for 25 minutes, or until they are soft. (You may need to add liquid; check after 10 minutes or so and make sure nothing is sticking to the pan.)
If the potatoes are soft enough, you can mash them with a potato masher in the pan at this point. Otherwise, place them in a food processor and process until smooth, then return to the pan. Add cream and chopped parsley and heat for 5 more minutes.
Add salt and pepper to taste, and the corn kernels. (You can reserve a bit to sprinkle over the top, like a garnish.) Ladle into soup bowls, and add a dash of paprika for extra pizazz.
Notes on ingredients: I used thin-skinned baking potatoes (Maris Piper), not quite as starchy as Idaho Russet potatoes. Use the white part and some of the lighter green part of the leek; save the rest for stock. For vegetable stock, I mixed one of the convenient cubes with hot water. Homemade stock is of course better, but sometimes you have to go to cook with the stock you have.
