Leek, Apple & Thyme

This week's soup comes from a recipe I came across in the Food section of the LA Times. I grew up reading the LA Times in So. Cal. and still read it online several times a week. Granted I am focused on the Sports section but at least once a week I browse their Food section. They have a cool regular feature where readers write in asking for recipes from their favorite LA area restaurants. The Food writers somehow get the restaurants to give their recipes over and share with everyone. I like the concept of sharing recipes for free. Some might feel you're giving away trade secrets but my thinking is that sharing good recipes only enhances one's standing and reputation and draws more business. Granted some folks might stay home and eat the results of the recipes but I believe most folks enjoy going out and having the dining experience just as much. I am also much more inclined to give my business to a restaurant that shares all aspects of the dining experience which includes the preparation of the food. Those are my thoughts on the subject.

Here's Wednesday's Soup:

Leek, Apple & Thyme

7 Leeks, divided into a group of 4 and a group of 3

3 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons of olive oil, divided

1 large onion thinly sliced

2-3 large garlic cloves, pressed

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced

1 Red Delicious apple, peeled, cored and diced

2 pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced

1 quart of vegetable stock

1 quart of water

3 bay leaves

3 sprigs of cilantro

1.5 tablespoons of fresh thyme leaves roughly chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh grated nutmeg to taste

1. Remove the roots and tough outer layers of 4 of the leeks, slice them lengthwise and rinse thoroughly. There's lots of dirt in the inner layers of the first couple of leafs so be sure you work these well. Slice thinly. In a heavy bottom pot, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat and cook the leeks and onions until they soften. Add the garlic and cook for only one more minute, stirring the whole time.
2. Stir in the chopped apples, potatoes, water and vegetable broth. Stir in the bay leaves, cilantro and thyme leaves. Bring the mix to a boil and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 45 minutes to an hour.
3. Remove the bay leaves. Add the thyme and cilantro to the soup and stir. Puree the soup with an immersion blender or use a blender/food processor.
4. Season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
5. To make the garnish, heat an oven to 400 degrees. Clean and slice the remaining 3 leeks as was done in step 1. Toss the sliced leeks in a bowl with the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil, salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake, stirring every few minutes, until the leeks are crisp, about 10 minutes.
6. Serve the soup in bowls with the crispy leeks sprinkled on top.

Potato & Swiss Cheese Recipe

I found this recipe on copykat.com.

I made this soup for a pot luck party at a friend's house and the responses were underwhelming (except for Judy J). So, I added this soup to my usual offering at work the following Wednesday. I brought this soup in addition to my Cream of Tomato. Well, the response from the crowd at work was great! The Potato & Swiss Cheese drew raves!! I was really pleased it was such a hit because the response from the pool party crowd really had me wondering. Here's the recipe for Potato & Swiss Cheese that serves about 10-12:

2 (32oz) cartons of Chicken or Vegetable Broth
2 lbs of Yukon Gold potatoes unpeeled and sliced thinly
1 yellow or red onion sliced thinly
1 qt of heavy cream
1 cup of shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese (Trader Joe's Parmesan/Romano is the best)
1/4 cup of real bacon bits
2 tbsp green onions diced

Into a large pot pour the broth and yellow or red onions. Bring the pot to a boil and cook on medium for about 20 minutes until potatoes are tender. Add the cream, Swiss cheese, Parmesan cheese, bacon and green onions.

When I made this soup I added the Swiss cheese all at once by sprinkling it evenly over the top of the soup and then stirred the cheese into the soup. The cheese didn't melt into a creamy consistency the way I expected. It came out in clumps and had the consistency of clams when you chewed it. I looked online for some advice on using cheese in soups to see if I did something wrong but didn't find anything. Next time I make the soup I'm going to try adding the Swiss cheese a little at a time and see if that changes the consistency. If someone makes this soup I'd be interested in hearing how the cheese comes out.