Vichyssoise is perhaps the most famous of soups. The concept is simple; cook some leek and potato soup, stir in cream, cool the soup quickly and serve.
The history of the soup is occasionally disputed but the French chef Louis Diat (1885-1957) is generally believed to have created Vichyssoise soup

INGREDIENTS

Ingredient Metric Imperial American

Four medium leeks trimmed 500 grams 1 lb 2 oz

Two medium potatoes 500 grams 1 lb 2 oz

Medium onion 1

Milk 420 ml ¾ pint 2 cups

Single (half and half) cream 420 ml ¾ pint 2 cups

Double (heavy) cream 210 ml Just under half a pint 1 cup

Butter 2 tbspns 2½ tbspns

Chives 1 bunch

Water 840 ml 1½ pints 4 cups

Salt 2 teaspoons

White pepper To taste

PREPARATION

Trim the leeks removing the greenery.

Cut each leek in half lengthwise then chop. Rinse the chopped leeks well.

Finely chop the onions.

Peel and cube the potatoes.

COOKING

1. Melt the butter on a medium heat, add the leeks and onion. Fry for about ten minutes stirring frequently.

2. Add the chopped potatoes, water and salt to the pan. Simmer gently for about 35 minutes until the potatoes have softened.

3. Add the milk and single (half and half) cream. Bring to the boil stirring continuously and then immediately from the heat.

4. Strain the cooked soup through a fine sieve. Do this with the underside of a spoon to push through as much of the soup as possible.

5. Stir in the double (heavy) cream and white pepper. Cool the soup, this may take up to three hours in the fridge.

6. Serve the soup in chilled cups or small bowls. Chop the chives and sprinkle a little over each serving of soup.

The above recipe will serve about 4 bowls of delicious chilled soup.