Leek soup

Leek soup, or usually leek and potato soup, is common to the cuisines of many places. It is made from leeks and other vegetables simmered in water or stock. Potatoes are usually included, and other ingredients may include onions and garlic. The soup may be enriched with milk or cream before serving. It is usually served hot, but if chilled may form the basis of vichyssoise.

Leek soup

Leek and potato soup
Type	Soup
Place of origin	Numerous cuisines
Serving temperature	Usually hot
Main ingredients	Leeks, potatoes, stock or water.
Media: Leek soup

Background

Leek soup is a traditional staple of many cuisines. A 1771 reference book lists the Italian porrata, "a leek-soup or pottage"; a Scottish cook, Susanna MacIver, included leek soup in her 1782 Cookery and Pastry; a Welsh version, cawl cennin – "leek pottage or porridge" – is recorded in 1794;^[1] a German-English dictionary from 1796 refers to Lauchsuppe, "leek pottage".^[2] Maria Rundell's Domestic Cookery (1808) gives a recipe for "Scotch Leek Soup", thickened with oatmeal.^[3]

French leek and potato soup has the alternative names potage Parmentier (in honour of the man who popularised potatoes in France) and soupe à la bonne femme.^[4] Elizabeth David (1984) refers to "every French housewife's potato and leek soup".^[5] Porrusalda is a Basque leek soup, typically using the same ingredients as the versions from elsewhere.^[6] In Spain the soup is known as sopa de puerros y patatas.^[7]

Contents

Leeks are the one ingredient common to all recipes. In some recipes only the white part of the leek is used; in others, both white and green are used. Potatoes are also usually included. Cooks and food writers differ about the other ingredients.

Writer	Cooking liquid	Other ingredients	Enrichment	Garnish	Ref
James Beard	chicken stock	potato	butter	nutmeg, cayenne	[8]
Simone Beck et al	water	potato, onion	cream	parsley or chives	[9]
Mary Berry	chicken or vegetable stock	potato, onion	cream	chives or parsley	[10]
Robert Carrier	chicken stock	potato	cream	chives	[11]
Craig Claiborne	chicken stock	potato, onion	cream	chives	[12]
Auguste Escoffier	white stock	potato	milk and butter	croutons	[13]
Jane Grigson	water	potato, onion, garlic			[14]
Jeff Koehler	chicken stock or water	potato, carrot	olive oil		[15]
Prosper Montagné	stock	potato	butter	chervil	[16]
Simone Ortega	water	potato	stock		[7]
Maria Rundell	water	oatmeal			[17]
Delia Smith	milk and chicken stock or water	potato, onion	cream	chives	[18]