Potato Leek Soup with Black Olive Tapenade

Here is one of my favorite soups from a post I wrote a year ago.  It is so rich and delicious.  You will not be sorry!

We visited a restaurant in Carlton called Cana’s Feast in October and had this delicious soup.  This recipe is my adaptation and as close as I could come to recreating it.  An immersion blender is really helpful for this.  If you enjoy pureed soups it’s a great tool to have in your kitchen.  You can blend right in the pot without having to transfer any hot liquids to your blender.

• 4 T. butter
• 4 leeks, white and light green parts only, washed and sliced
• 4-5 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
• Salt and pepper
• 32 oz. Chicken Stock
• 2 sage leaves
• ¼ C. cream
• ¼ C. black olives, chopped
• 1 t. olive oil
• Truffle oil and cream (optional)

In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the leeks and potatoes, season with salt and pepper, cover and sweat for 10 minutes.  Add the chicken stock and sage leaves and bring to a simmer.  Simmer for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Puree until smooth.  At this point you can decide to strain the soup through a wire mesh sieve if you like a silky smooth finish.  If you like a little more texture you can skip the straining.  Taste the soup for seasoning and keep warm.  In a small bowl combine chopped olives and olive oil with a pinch of salt and pepper.  Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with a teaspoon of the olive mixture in each bowl.  Drop two or three drops of truffle oil on top (a little goes a long way) and serve.  If you like you can also drop a little fresh cream on top for color contrast.

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