Leek Soup with Shoestring Potatoes and Fried Herbs

Ingredients

• •½ cup unsalted butter
• •6 whole leeks
• •1 whole onion
• •5 cloves garlic
• •to taste kosher salt
• •2 cups whole milk
• •1 cup heavy cream
• •to taste black pepper
• •1 whole russet potato
• •¼ cup parsley
• •1 sprig rosemary
• •to taste kosher salt
• •to taste sea salt
• •1 piece deep-fry thermometer

Cooking Instructions

1. 1.

   Melt butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add leeks, onion, and garlic and season with salt. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables begin to soften, 5-7 minutes. Add 1 cup water and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very soft, 25-30 minutes. Let cool slightly, then transfer half of leek mixture to a blender and add half of milk, cream, and yogurt. Purée until very smooth; pour into a large bowl. Repeat with remaining leek mixture, milk, cream, and yogurt.

   35 min

2. 2.

   Return soup to pot and heat over medium, adding water by 1/4-cupfuls, until soup is thick enough to hold potatoes without sinking but thin enough that a spoon dragged across the top doesn't leave a trail.

   10 min

3. 3.

   Season with salt and pepper.

   1 min

4. 4.

   Rinse potato in a colander under cold water until water runs clear; pat completely dry.

   5 min

5. 5.

   Fit a medium saucepan with thermometer; pour in oil to measure 2". Heat over medium-high until thermometer registers 350°F. Working in batches and returning oil to 350°F between batches, add potato by the handful and fry, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer potato to paper towels to drain. Fry parsley and rosemary until parsley is translucent, about 15 seconds. Add to potato and let cool; season with kosher salt. Serve soup topped with a nest of potatoes and herbs and seasoned with sea salt.

   15 min