The leek soup was one of those dishes that no, I just could not tolerate.
My grandmother had the unhealthy habit of placing the pots on the fire very early in the morning, preparing the entire menu of the day and sometimes even for the days to come: despite his free time every day (she was obviously an housewife) allowed her to do it even at another time for example mid-morning, she undeterred organized the meals of the family and around 10 am had nothing more to do… so she used to turn on the TV and watch the broadcasts that kept us company in the late 80s, early 90s. If the chefs of our time saw how many times he warmed and heated the dishes, instead of cooking express, they would feel bad: we never actually died, it means that in the end his method had no flaws.
Or maybe, she had one: when she prepared the "supa de poro” (leek soup) the wake-up service was so acrid and violent.
The supa de poro is very similar to the much more noble vichyssoise:it is composed of potatoes, leek and is softened with cream while in the Venetian version there isn’t cream and the result is more raw on the palate because it retains a consistency not completely creamy and the leek, where intact, gives the bite an acrid and sweet sensation. I wonder which one, the Venetian or French version, was born first: I prefer the Venetian one, because it is from the more rustic and simple versions that, by scorning them, you can then get the most refined versions.
I said, I never liked, in fact I never even wanted to taste.
The smell of leek, so similar to the onion for me, repelled me from approaching it: grandmother then did not blend at all and these slices of floating leek have always disturbed me. Like any food, in my opinion, if you prepare it by yourself, it will change its flavor and meaning: so the pureed and chunky leek soup, with a bit of chopped fresh parsley, a drizzle of good oil and some crispy croutons, well, it came right into my carnet de cuisine.
Let me know if it will also come into your stomach or your carnet de cuisine.
NOTES
You can find leek at the supermarket all year round, but by now we all know that this is not a sign of seasonality. Its best is from November to March: the white part of the stem is the most used while the green part is dosed in the dishes as it is more acrid, hard and pungent. If you do not love onion or shallot, try the leek in your soffritto: cook it gently, withering and not sizzling, if necessary adding a bit of water, and it will give you satisfaction. Use it in minestrone, or raw in salads, or as a filling of a savory pie, stewed and matched with cooked ham or crumbled sausage.
Wash the potatoes carefully and peel them, then cut them into cubes.
Also wash the leeks and eliminate* the final green part then thinly cut. Put them in a pan with a thick bottom (I use the cast iron pan) together with the oil and butter and cook slowly over low heat for about 10 minutes: they must wither, do not fry, remaining soft and moist. Add the potatoes and broth at this time and cook until the potatoes are tender.
Now you can have it, adjusting salt and pepper, without blending and keeping the pieces of vegetables: I usually take two ladles of potatoes and leeks from the broth and keep them aside, blend the rest remaining in the pot and then pour them over inside, so as to obtain a pleasantly soft soup but with the solid part to stop the creamy feeling.
* The green part that you discard, do not throw it, keep it in the freezer and use it for the broth or for a soffritto with celery and carrot maybe.
