Bowl of Potato, Leek & Squash Soup
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Potato, Leek & Squash Soup


Italy   -   Crema di Patate, Porro e Zucchina

Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  
6 main
***
1 hr
Prep
An excellent summer soup for when you want something both light and substantial. Skip ham and chicken for vegetarian, they aren't that much needed, and use a good vegetable stock




12
5
2
6
9
3
2
1
1/2
1
1/2
1/2
------

oz
c
T
oz
oz
oz
oz
T
T
T
t
c
---

Potatoes (1)
Stock, light (2)
Butter
Leek
Squash (3)
Chicken meat
Ham
Olive Oil, ExtV
Butter
Butter
Salt
Cream, heavy
-- Garnish
Fennel Leaves

Prep   -   (35 min)
  1. Peel POTATOES and cut into largish chunks. Put in a saucepan with 5 cups Stock, bring to a boil and simmer covered 30 minutes.
  2. Put Potatoes in a food processor (a mini-prep is fine) with half the stock and run to a purée. Return to the saucepan with the rest of the stock.
  3. Soften Butter, divide into bits and whip into the potato purée.
  4. Cut LEEK down to white and light green. Split from just above the root and spread leaves enough to rinse out any mud. Slice thin.
  5. Slice SQUASH into pieces about 1/2 inch thick and cut to appropriate size. If 1-1/2 inch rounds or smaller halves should be good, quarters if larger.
  6. Cut CHICKEN and HAM into narrow strips. Mix.
Run   -   (25 min)
  1. In a skillet, heat Olive Oil and Butter. Fry Leek stirring until a little limp, then add Squash and continue to fry, tumbling now and then, until squash is getting tender, but no browning.
  2. Stir Squash mix into Potato mix but don't clean the skillet.
  3. Add 1 T Butter to the skillet and fry Chicken mix until Chicken is cooked through, then add to the pot.
  4. Bring pot to a simmer and simmer for about 15 minutes.
  5. Season to taste with Salt and Pepper. Adjust liquid if needed. Stir in the Cream and bring back to a simmer stirring.
  6. Serve hot garnished with Fennel Leaves.
NOTES:
  1. Potatoes:

      I use White Rose because that's what I always have on hand, but others should work since they get puréed. For details see our Potatoes page.
  2. Stock:

      The pattern recipe uses plain water and later tosses in 2 crushed bouillon cubes. While bouillon cubes are disparaged by American gourmets, they are quite favored by European chefs.
  3. Squash:

      Any green or greenish summer squash such as Mediterranean or narrow zucchini should work. I avoid yellow squash as they seem to lack flavor.
  4. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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