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1
As croutons for this dish, I prefer regular white bread (like Pepperidge Farm) cut into 3/4-inch cubes.
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2
Sprinkle the cubes with a little peanut oil, spread them on a cookie sheet, and bake in a 400F oven for about 10 minutes, or until the croutons are nicely browned.
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3
Trim off some of the very green outer leaves of the leeks (reserving them for stock), but be sure to use the tender green of the leek.
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4
Split the leek open and wash it well inside, so that there is no dirt or sand.
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5
Cut the leek into pieces of about 1/2 inch; you should have a good 2 to 3 cups of leek.
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6
Put the leek in a stockpot, and add the onion and garlic.
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7
Add a little light olive oil or peanut oil, and cook over medium heat for 3 or 4 minutes, or until the leeks and onions begin to wilt.
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8
Pour in the chicken stock and the water to make the stock a little milder.
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9
At this point, add the potatoes that have been cut into chunks.
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10
Sprinkle with a good dash of salt, bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat, cover, and let it boil very gently for 30 to 35 minutes.
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11
The vegetables should be very tender.
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12
The best way to puree the cooked ingredients is with an immersion blender.
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13
Place the head of the blender directly into the pot, and process until the soup has a beautifully creamy consistency.
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14
Taste for seasonings, and add additional salt and some freshly ground black pepper, if needed.
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15
(Julia would want me to add white pepper to this because of the soups light color, but I prefer the taste of black pepper.)
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16
At this point the soup can be poured into containers and frozen.
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17
Finish the soup with the butter, emulsifying it in the soup with the immersion blender.
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18
The soup can now be served in warm plates, garnished with croutons and chervil (pluche).
