Chive Vichyssoise
Submitted by AgentCoop
Chive vichyssoise is a chilled potato-leek soup made lighter with buttermilk instead of cream. Silky, tangy, and brightened with lemon juice and a dash of hot sauce.
YIELD
1 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
30 minREADY
2Classic vichyssoise gets a lighter, tangier spin here by swapping heavy cream for buttermilk. The result is still velvety smooth, but with a pleasant acidity that keeps the potato and leek flavors from going flat. Chives, lemon juice, and a dash of red pepper sauce add layers that the traditional version often lacks.
The base cooks like any vichyssoise: onion, leek, and celery softened gently in margarine (no browning, which would change the soup’s color and flavor), then potatoes simmered in chicken broth until they fall apart. Puree in batches until completely smooth.
Buttermilk goes in after pureeing, not during cooking. Boiling buttermilk curdles it. Stir it into the cooled soup along with the chives and lemon juice, then chill for at least 2 hours. Cold vichyssoise thickens as it chills, so thin with extra cold buttermilk at serving if it’s too dense.
Kitchen Tips
- Don’t brown the vegetables. This is a white soup. Even light browning will discolor the final result and add a toasted flavor that doesn’t belong.
- Puree in batches and blend each batch for a full 30 seconds. Underblending leaves grainy potato bits in what should be silk.
- Serve it ice cold. Vichyssoise is meant to be chilled. Lukewarm potato soup is not the same thing.
Variations
- Watercress vichyssoise: Blend in a handful of fresh watercress with the buttermilk for a peppery, bright green version.
- Cucumber garnish: Top each bowl with diced cucumber and a drizzle of olive oil for extra freshness.
- Hot version: Skip the chilling and serve warm as a classic potato-leek soup on cold evenings.
Ingredients
Directions
In a large heavy saucepan melt the margarine over moderate heat.
Add the onion, leek and celery and cook, uncovered, stirring, occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
Do not brown.
Add the potatoes, stir in the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
Reduce to simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
In blender or food processor, purée the soup in 2 or 3 batches, whirling each batch about 30 seconds.
Stir in the buttermilk, chives, lemon juice and red pepper sauce.
Cover the soup and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.
Thin with additional cold buttermilk if desired.
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