Roasted Potato, Leek, and Arugula Soup

Roasting the vegetables in this soup results in deep, warm flavors, perfect for a chilly night. I adapted it from a Barefoot Contessa recipe, but cut out the heavy cream that the original called for to make it slightly healthier. In lieu of fried shallots, sometimes I crisp up bacon lardons to serve on top, instead. Both are delicious!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 lbs white potatoes
• 4 leeks
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Pepper
• 3 handfuls baby arugula
• 1/2 c. white wine, plus 2 tbsp
• 6-7 c. chicken broth/stock
• 8 oz sour cream
• 1/4 c. grated parmesan, plus more for serving
• 3 shallots
• 1 c. vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp butter

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Peel and slice potatoes into 1-1 1/2 inch pieces. Chop leeks into 1/2 inch thick slices, white and pale green parts only. Everything is going to get pureed eventually, so no need to focus on making your slices perfectly even. Lay leeks and potatoes onto a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Roast for 45 minutes, turning halfway through. While the vegetables are roasting, thinly slice shallots into rounds.

Heat the vegetable oil and butter in a large skillet until hot, but not spitting. Add the shallots and cook on medium-high for about 10-15 minutes, or until brown but not burnt.

Remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Set aside.

After 45 minutes, take the baking sheet out of the oven and top vegetables with the arugula.

Roast for another 5 minutes, until the arugula is wilted.

Remove the vegetables from the oven. Pour 1/2 cup white wine and 1 cup chicken stock over the vegetables in the pan. Using a spatula, stir the vegetables and liquid, and scrape up any brown bits stuck to the pan. In batches, transfer the contents of the pan and another 5 cups chicken stock to a blender and puree, pouring the puree into a large pot.

You can also skip the blender step and puree everything directly in the pot using an immersion blender. Once everything is in the pot and pureed, add the remaining stock and whisk together. You want the consistency to be that of a thick soup. Whisk in sour cream and season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat on medium-low for a few minutes until hot.

Stir in 1/4 cup parmesan and the remaining 2 tbsp white wine.

Serve topped with grated parmesan and fried shallots.