Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes: Vichyssoise Mushroom Soup

There are still days when I miss getting paid to write and edit a blog about mushroom recipes. Case in point below.

Steph and I started talking about fall soups over dinner in Georgetown last week and she sent along her mom’s recipe for vichyssoise. It took me all of two days home to make it. Super easy to adapt and seasonal for those of you also getting lots of leeks, onions, and potatoes in your CSA boxes. Not something that typically involves mushrooms, but I had them and it worked.

Vichyssoise (thanks, Epners!)

3-4 leeks (about ¾ lb)

1 medium onion

2 T butter & a little olive oil to coat bottom of stockpot

4 cups chicken stock

light cream & plain yogurt to taste

salt, white pepper & Tobasco or other hot sauce to taste

2 potatoes, peeled & chopped

Halve leeks lengthwise & soak in several rinses of cold water until all sediment is removed. Remove outer tough green layers. Roughly chop white & part of the green until the leaves get too tough. Chop oinion. Saute leeks & onions in pot with butter & oil until soft, but not brown. Add potatoes, chicken broth & salt. Simmer partially covered for 30-45 min. Using stick blender puree. Add more chicken stock if too thick. Add cream, yogurt, pepper & hot sauce to taste. Don’t boil after adding yogurt. Serve hot or cold.

TKTC Notes: I skipped the cream in favor of extra yogurt and some bonus broth. That was my only lightener though—don’t skip the butter for the leeks. I loaded the pot with about 3 TB of a favorite Frontera hot sauce at the end and topped my own bowl with some sauteed mushrooms to fill it out a bit.

fall soup