Ingredients:
7 pounds leeks, washed and sliced into1/4–inch rounds (white and pale green parts only), divided
8 tablespoons salted butter, melted, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black
pepper, to taste
4 whole cloves garlic, peeled
6 to 8 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
8 cups chicken stock or broth
1 teaspoon ground bay leaves
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
11/2 cups light cream
Snipped fresh chives, for garnish
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place 2 pounds (about 4 cups) of the sliced leeks into a roasting pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking to keep the leeks from burning and sticking to the bottom of the pan. Remove from the oven and set aside.In a large stockpot add the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter, the remaining 5 pounds of leeks, and the garlic. Sauté over mediumhigh heat for 15 minutes, or until the leeks are caramelized. Add the potatoes and sauté an additional 5 minutes. Add the stock, cover the pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the potatoes are soft and tender, 30 to 35 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and add the bay leaves, celery salt, red pepper flakes, Worcestershire sauce, and nutmeg. Puree the soup in the pot using a hand blender or working in batches with a regular blender until smooth. Add the light cream and salt and pepper, to taste. Puree once again until the cream is thoroughly incorporated. Reserve a few roasted leeks, for garnish, and stir the remaining roasted leeks into the soup until they are evenly distributed. Garnish with roasted leeks and freshly snipped chives.
Makes 8 to 10 servings. In Boston, sometimes called America’s most Irish city (about 15 percent of the city’s residents have ancestors from Ireland), this soup has always been a customer favorite around St. Patrick’s Day. Play up the theme by serving it in an emerald-hued bowl, sprinkled with chives and lots of roasted leeks.
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