Vichyssoise

There were just enough potatoes in my sack to make potato leek soup tonight.

Pshew! I'd've kicked myself if, after all that Meg Fry-making, I had shorted myself on a key ingredient for one of my Favorite Soups Evarr. So I am a happy Kitschenueberfrau this evening.

There is no point in getting fancy with Vichyssoise. The name is fancy enough. And the blending of flavors is so perfect that why mess with that? So pretty much straight from the Joy of Cooking, the 1975 edition, here is what I did:

Mince:
*3 medium cleaned leeks, white only
*1 medium onion
and sautee for 3 minutes (I had mine on medium heat &, stirring them occasionally, let them sautee as long as it took me to mince the potatoes.) in:
*2 Tb butter (you vegans already know to check for milk product in your margerine, right?)

Add:
*4 peeled and minced medium potatoes
*4c chicken stock (or, you know, veggie stock)
and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes or until veggies are very tender.

Puree, in whichever manner your faith dictates.

Back over medium-low heat, add:
*1/4 teaspoon mace (I had whole mace that I mortared & pestled, then added before pureeing. It is so good with whole mace, OMG! Or if you don't have that, grate from a whole nutmeg; it's from the same plant. Or if you don't have that, then used powdered mace or nutmeg, but I hope it's less than a year old. Or if you don't have that, go with the spice sand you've been carrying with you through several moves, but use a mite more because that crap will taste like nothing. Nothing! Then get yourself to the natural food store and stock up from the bulk bins, because Jeez you deserve better!)
*S&P to taste
*1-2 cups cream (or better for your heart, half and half. Or even better for your heart but less better for your taste buds, whole milk. I believe, when I worked for the Saturn Cafe, I made successful vegan Vichissoise by adding unsweetened unflavored soymilk at this stage. )

Heat until super steamy or even simmering. Ladle into bowls andsprinkle with fancy-pants minced watercress or chives. Because "if there's no green flecks in it somewhere, it ain't gourmet."--what I bet authentic big time cheffy types really do say.

Serve with salad and a Nass Watt Juan (because French accent.)