Carrot Vichyssoise
Carrot Vichyssoise
A personal favorite from the recipe archives of Vincent Price which he himself adapted from a dish served at the Four Seasons hotel. Vichyssoise is a thick soup made of boiled and puréed leeks, onions, potatoes, cream, and chicken stock. Its origin seems to be a simple French country dish that was later adapted and served by French chefs working in American hotels in the early to mid 20th century. This preparation adds the sweetness and color of carrots to the classic formula.
Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped, peeled white or red potatoes
- 1 leek, white/light green part only, sliced
- 1 1/4 cups sliced carrots
- 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth, stock or bouillon (Chicken is classical/original, but veg can be used)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Dash of white pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
Trim and clean leeks; thinly slice the white portion. (Here's a YT video showing how to clean and prepare leeks, first sliced, then whole): Leek Tutorial
In a large soup pot over medium heat, add potatoes, leek, carrots, and vegetable or chicken broth.
Increase heat and bring just to a boil.
Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Remove from heat and let cool 10 to 15 minutes.
Mash to desired consistency with a spoon or masher or put in a food processor/blender and puree until smooth.
(This is a matter of personal preference. Traditionally Vichyssoise is pureed until smooth, but I prefer it mashed apart for a more minced-chowder type consistency. Both result in a thick, creamy soup, it's a matter of what kind of texture you prefer, I like it a bit less uniformly smooth, and with mashing that's what you get.)
The soup can be made 1 to 2 days in advance up until this stage. Refrigerate until ready to finish. It can also be frozen here and saved for a later date.
To serve, stir in white pepper, salt, and cream.
Can be eaten cold or hot, but I prefer slightly warm. Serves 4 to 6 but scales easily.
Back to The Kitchen Sink.
