Potato Leek Chowder for All Seasons | Everyday Dorie

Calling it potato chowder or allium chowder does not quite convey the deliciousness of this soup. I love having a pot of soup, ready to offer comfort and hydration, when we come in from the cold. A hearty bowl of potato leek chowder is welcome anytime of the day. It’s light and creamy, yet full of the green veggies goodness. The flavor is concentrated from sweating loads of alliums: leeks, onion, shallot and garlic for over 20 minutes. In addition, you pile more green vegetables and herbs on top for a finishing touch.

If you’re ambitious, you may even prepare your own chicken or vegetable broth, for a vegetarian version. When you’re short on time, store-bought chicken broth (5 cups) may suffice. What you can’t skip are the leeks (2 stalks) and potatoes (1 pound) with a kiss of cream, half-and-half or milk (1/2 cup) at the end of cooking for the pure essence of a creamy chowder. Tastewise, leeks and other alliums carry a quiet presence in the background.

Should you desire to increase the volume of the chowder, consider taking these steps. Saute and crisp up slices of bacon to coat the pan with bacon fat before adding the leeks, onion, shallot and garlic. Chop up the bacon bits (from the last step) and use them for garnish. As you know, bacon makes everything better, in both taste and texture.

I can’t resist adding asparagus in the chowder, as Dorie Greenspan did for her spring chowder. In Everyday Dorie, she suggests adding butternut or acorn squash with some shredded Gouda and cheddar cheese — for a fall and winter vegetable chowder. Sorry, I skipped the season, and went for something lighter. For a spring chowder, asparagus, green peas, sugar snap peas with chopped fresh tarragon and dill are the clear choices. I love the crunchy and earthy notes of fresh asparagus. Don’t seem to get enough of them.

For a summer chowder, think zucchini and lots of corn cut from the cob, drizzled in a green pesto. Yum! Dorie has given us a wonderful and versatile potato chowder base with plenty of variations. I’d imagine making this soup in all seasons, even crossing seasons, as our appetite informs.

A spring chowder with asparagus, peas, half-and-half, topped with dill & bacon bits

Print Recipe

Potato Leek Chowder

Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon or 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 leeks, white and light green parts only, split, rinsed, patted dry and thinly sliced
• 1 large onion, halved, thinly sliced
• 1 large shallots, halved, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• Fine sea salt
• Pinch of sugar
• 5 cups (about 1 1/4 liters) chicken or vegetables broth
• 1 pound (454 grams) potatoes, preferably yellow, peeled and cut into bite-sized cubes
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) cream, half-and-half or whole milk
• Freshly ground pepper
• TOPPINGS TO MIX AND MATCH FOR A SPRING CHOWDER:
• Fresh asparagus, cut into strips
• Green peas
• Fresh dill, chopped
• Fresh parsley and/or cilantro, chopped

Instructions

1

If you're using bacon, lay the strips in a Dutch Oven or large saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, turning as needed, until cooked and crisp. Transfer the strips to a plate lined with paper towels. Leave 2 tablespoons of fat in the pan. When the bacon is cool, chop into bits and keep until serving.

2

If you are going meatless, heat olive oil in the pan.

3

Add leeks, onion, shallot and garlic to the pan and stir until coated with oil. Season with salt, add the sugar and reduce the heat to low. Allow alliums to cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until soft but not colored, about 20 minutes.

4

Pour in the broth, drop in the potatoes and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook at a steady simmer, uncovered, until the potatoes are soft enough to break easily when prodded with a fork. You can use a masher or the back of a big spoon to mash some of the potatoes, to add another texture to the soup.

5

For the spring chowder, add strips of asparagus and green peas to the simmering soup. Cook until tender.

6

Just before serving, stir in the cream, half-and-half and milk, and heat through, without boiling. Taste for salt and pepper.

7

Ladle the soup out and top each serving with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt (optional). Sprinkle with bacon bits, parsley, chives and/or other herbs.

Notes

Adapted from Everyday Dorie by Dorie Greenspan