WILD LEEK POTATO SOUP

WILD LEEK POTATO SOUP image

Yield 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 qt. - Wild leeks (or cultivated if you don't have wild leeks in your locale)
1 large onion
3-4 celery stalks (sliced thin)
2-3 carrots thinly sliced
2-3 cups of dice potato
Aprox. 2 quarts chicken stock
1 quart half and half
2 bricks cream cheese
2 sticks butter - not margarine - butter :)

Steps:

Dice leeks, onions and saute with butter (5 min), then add celery and carrot and saute for another 10 minutes or so.. Meanwhile, melt the cream cheese in a double boiler pan. Let cream cheese sit a room temp to soften, then add to double boiler (add a little milk to the double boiler so the cream cheese doesn't stick. Keep heat low/med and be careful not to let cream cheese boil. Add a little milk as needed to keep moist. Bring chicken stock to a boil. Have potatos cooking while you are doing all of this too. Drain potatos when they're done. In a large stock pot add sauteed vegetables, chicken stock, half and half, potatos and stir until they're happy. Add cream cheese slowly and stir in. Let contents simmer for about 10 minutes. You may garnish with fresh chives, ground pepper. This makes about 1 gal. of soup. Enough for everybody. Additionally, a grilled ham and cheese is wonderful with this soup.