Parsley and Mint Soup

• 3 cups sliced leeks, white and light green parts only
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon white rice
• 4 cups gently packed flat-leaf parsley sprigs, large stems removed
• 1/2 cup spearmint leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

1. Cook the leeks in the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring often until they begin to wilt, about 3 minutes.
2. Add the broth and rice.
3. When the soup begins to boil, cover the pot and let the soup slowly simmer at low heat for 20 minutes, or until the rice is very tender.
4. Stir the parsley, mint, and a few grindings of black pepper into the simmering soup and then remove it from the heat.
5. Puree it in 2 batches in a blender until very smooth.
6. Be very careful when doing this: Fill the blender no more than half full so that the hot soup does not splash out, and pulse it in quick spurts before switching it on continuously.
7. Allow the blender to run at least a full minute for each batch, or until the soup is golf-course green and the texture is very smooth.
8. Pour the soup back into the saucepan, stir in the cream (which can be left out if you like), and reheat it.
9. Taste it and add salt if you think it needs it.
10. If you cooked with salted canned broth the soup may not need additional salt.

leeks, unsalted butter, chicken broth, white rice, gently packed, spearmint leaves, salt, heavy cream

Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/parsley-and-mint-soup (may not work)