Leek and Potato Soup

• 1 big, fat leek, or 2 slightly slimmer ones
• 1 smallish onion
• 2 small-to-medium new potatoes
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 cups water, or more as needed
• Salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 12 tablespoons heavy cream (optional)

1. Trim the leek(s), discarding the tough green tops, and cut them into 1-inch chunks.
2. Rinse them thoroughly, and drain.
3. Peel and chop the onion and potatoes.
4. Melt the butter in a medium heavy pot, and saute the onion for a few minutes, then add the leeks and potatoes, and sweat them over low heat another few minutes, stirring frequently.
5. Pour in the water, add a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil.
6. Cook at a lively simmer, with cover askew, for 1 hour, until the potatoes are velvety soft.
7. Now mash roughly with a potato masher or a slotted spoon, and add considerably more salt to taste, and a few grindings of the pepper mill.
8. Serve as is, or swirl some cream on to
9. For a creamier soup, puree everything with an immersion blender or in a food processor, and swirl in additional cream.
10. Either enjoy hot, or turn it into a vichyssoise by adding at least 1/4 cup cream and sprinkling chives on top.
11. If you want it both hot and cold, prepare double the amount, and put away half for a later treat of vichyssoise.
12. In summer you may find sorrel in farmers markets or, if possible, grow some in your garden.
13. Then you can easily make a simple version of that delicious French soup Potage Germiny by adding 1 cup of sorrel leaves, washed, stemmed, and cut in strips, to the leek, onions, and potatoes after you have sweated them.
14. Finish the soup by pureeing and adding cream as described above.

big, smallish onion, potatoes, butter, water, salt, freshly ground pepper, heavy cream

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/leek-and-potato-soup-378380 (may not work)