Recipe: Potato and Leek Soup
Found in: Weight Watchers Annual Recipes for Success, 2002 (Oxmoor House)
The Selection
Winter weather, football playoffs, it's time for a hearty soup. One of our family favorites is a Potato Leek Soup found in a Weight Watchers cook book. For those that follow Weight Watchers, this recipe is 4 points based on the old Weight Watchers system.
The additional step I take after all ingredients are blended is to use an Immersion Blender to further break down the potatoes and leeks into a smooth, creamy mixture. I also add some shredded cheddar cheese when serving.
Ingredients:
4 cups cubed peeled baking potato (about 2 pounds)
4 slices reduced-sodium bacon
2 cups sliced leek (about 3)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup tub-style light cream cheese
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup fat-free half-and-half
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
1. Place potato in a Dutch oven; add water to cover. Bring to boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until tender. Drain. Mash slightly with a potato masher.
2. Cook bacon in a non-stick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings; crumble. Add leek and garlic to bacon drippings in pan; sauté 5 minutes.
3. Add leek mixture to potato; stir in cream cheese until blended. Add broth and flour, stirring well with a whisk. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Add half-and-half and remaining 3 ingredients; stir well. Sprinkle with bacon.
Yields 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups).
The Preparation
The exact ingredients and preparation steps from the book are listed below. Contrary to the steps below, I switch use of the Dutch Oven. I cook the potatoes in a stainless steel pot and cook the bacon, leeks, and garlic in the Dutch oven. Why? It's much easier to drain the water from the potatoes in a lighter pot vs the Dutch oven (under the ceramic coating, is a cast iron pot, and is quite heavy).The additional step I take after all ingredients are blended is to use an Immersion Blender to further break down the potatoes and leeks into a smooth, creamy mixture. I also add some shredded cheddar cheese when serving.
Ingredients:
4 cups cubed peeled baking potato (about 2 pounds)
4 slices reduced-sodium bacon
2 cups sliced leek (about 3)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup tub-style light cream cheese
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup fat-free half-and-half
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
1. Place potato in a Dutch oven; add water to cover. Bring to boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until tender. Drain. Mash slightly with a potato masher.
2. Cook bacon in a non-stick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings; crumble. Add leek and garlic to bacon drippings in pan; sauté 5 minutes.
3. Add leek mixture to potato; stir in cream cheese until blended. Add broth and flour, stirring well with a whisk. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Add half-and-half and remaining 3 ingredients; stir well. Sprinkle with bacon.
Yields 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups).
