COLD LEEK & POTATO SOUP WITH SMOKED SALMON

Post Date:
08Aug, 2022

| Difficulty Level: | Serves 4  | Prep Time: 10 min  | Cooking Time: 45 min |

Cold Leek & Potato Soup with Smoked Salmon is a refreshing and flavorful dish that combines the delicate sweetness of leeks and the creaminess of potatoes, enhanced by the subtle smokiness of salmon. This dish is perfect for a warm summer days or whenever you are craving a light meal.

 
   Ingredients:
3.5 oz. ORA King Smoked Salmon (Cut into 1/2'' Long x 1/4'' Thick Slices)
2 Tbs. Unsalted Butter
2 Medium-sized Leeks (White and Light Green Parts Only, Split Down the Middle and Cut Across into Half-Moons and Washed**)
1 oz. Celery (Thin Sliced)
1 tsp. Kosher Salt
3 1/2 Cups of Water
1 lb. Russet Potato (Peeled, Diced 1/4'', and Held in Cold Water Until Ready)
1/4 tsp. White Pepper
1 Cup of Milk
1/2 Cup of Heavy Cream
 Assembling Ingredients:
1/2 Medium Celery Stalk (Bottom End Trimmed, Leaves Removed, Washed)
2 tsp. Chives (Sliced Across Thin)
6 tps. Crème Fraiche or Sour Cream
1 1/2 tsp. Tobiko Caviar
Zest from 1 Lemon
**Cut away all of the dark green leaves, as they are very tough. Just use the lighter green and white portions. No matter what, you will ALWAYS need to wash your leeks to remove sand that gets in between leaves. Do not overlook this step. Best to cut them completely and wash them while cut. Just let them drain in the colander while you prepare other ingredients.
How to prepare the soup:
  1. Melt the butter in a sauce pot over medium heat.
  2. Add the washed leeks, the celery, and the salt and cook gently, stirring quite often, until the leeks are soft and no water remains. (You may have to add 1 or 2 Tbs of additional water to the pot so the leeks don’t brown before they are done. If so, cook until the water has evaporated.)
  3. Add the potatoes, the water and the white pepper to the pot and bring the ingredients to a gentle simmer. Simmer until the potatoes are cooked and pretty much falling apart. Stir the pot often so the potatoes stay below the water level. 
  4. Remove the pot from the heat and transfer the contents to a blender canister.
  5. Add the milk and turn the blender on just long enough to puree the ingredients.
  6. Turn off the blender and add the cream. Blend on low just to incorporate the cream. (Too long and it can start to thicken.)
  7. Transfer to a bowl and cool over an ice bath, stirring often.
  8. When close to 41°F, recheck seasoning, place in a storage container, cover with a lid, and store in your refrigerator.
How to assemble your dish: 
  1. Cut the celery stalk across into paper thin slices using a hand-held food slicer or very sharp knife. Place these into ice water for at least 15 minutes to get very crunchy. (save 12 pieces for garnish)
  2. Place cold soup in a large bowl. Drain the celery and add to the soup, minus the garnish, along with the smoked salmon slices, and 1 1/2 tsp. chives.
  3. Gently fold ingredients together with a spoon or spatula until incorporated and salmon is separated.
  4. Ladle 6 fl oz into each of 6 cold soup cups.
  5. Top each with a 1 tsp dollop of crème fraiche or sour cream.
  6. Place 2 slices of crisp celery on top of each dollop, followed by a 1/4 tsp of tobiko caviar.
  7. Sprinkle reserved chives over each cup.
  8. Using a microplane, zest a little lemon zest into each cup over the soup