A Summer Memory of Vichysoisse

I prefer this hot, though the boy likes it chilled. His tastes are more traditional.

50h butter

450g leeks, finely sliced

225g potatoes, peeled and sliced

570ml water

2755ml milk

75ml single cream

Salt & white pepper

Chives to garnish

This is one of the boy’s favourite soups. We made this on midsummer day when it was all he wanted. Our flat was baking hot. Shostakovich was on the radio. Amazing music. Stalingrad fighting back. Don’t bother weighing anything – 4 leeks and 5 potatoes should do it.

Heat the butter – We use salted Yorkshire butter from the farmers’ market, so it needs to be heated slowly so it doesn’t separate. Add the leeks. All of the white parts plus the pale green. The potatoes too. These shouldn’t be the waxy kind. You want them to fall apart. Pour in the water and boil for 15 minutes or so. Blend. I like it not too smooth - kind of grainy.

The boy appeared in white boxers and a red and white stripy t-shirt. He made himself a coffee and disappeared.

Put the soup back into the pan and add the milk . It needs to be whole-milk really preferably organic. Turn the heat right down. Add the cream. Stir in a really decent pinch of salt and lots of white pepper. Once it’s cooled, put in the fridge to chill.

I’ve found a New York recipe from the Ritz from 1911 that adds about 450ml tomato juice. The acidity should cut through the cream but it needs to be very cold to work, I think.

The boy suggested things he’d like with this. I love it when he takes an interest. Still in his undies and a t-shirt though. –he said he wanted hot brown toast with more of the Yorkshire butter, sun warmed tomatoes from the garden, sliced, white grapes and thinly sliced Milano salami. Predictably he piled this up into a toppling open sandwich.