Potato Leek and Spinach Soup

I've made Jane Brody's Potato Leek Chowder often, so this last time I made it, I decided to switch things up a bit. To make the soup a little more veggie-rich, I decided to add a few handfuls of spinach at the end of the cooking, and I swapped out some of the milk for additional broth (using whole milk instead of Brody's suggested skim). The results were just as good as the original recipe.

In the interest of eating less meat, I also decided to try an experiment: I'd fry some shallots as a topping instead of the bacon I often used in the past. While fried onions are no substitute for bacon, they were a satisfying alternative, and I'd definitely make them again.


Potato, Leek and Spinach Soup
adapted from Jane Brody's Good Food Book

2 large leeks (white parts only)
1 lb potatoes, peeled and dived
2 T. butter
3 c. vegetable broth
Lots of freshly ground pepper
1/4 t. kosher salt
1/4 lb. spinach
1/2 c. whole milk
2 heaping T. minced fresh parsley

Optional toppings: Fried shallots* and grated cheddar

1. Separate and wash leeks. Slice into 1/2 inch pieces.
2. In a heavy-bottomed enamel pan, sauté the potatoes and leeks in butter for several minutes, stirring the vegetables to prevent browning.
3. Add broth salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover pan and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
4. Mash the soup gently with a potato masher a few times, leaving the texture mostly chunky.
5. Add spinach to pot and stir in.
6. Add milk slowly, and heat soup, but do not boil.
7. Stir in parsley.
8. Garnish with fried shallots and grated cheddar cheese.*

To fry shallots, I filled a heavy bottomed pot with a 1/2-inch if canola oil and dropped sliced shallots into the hot oil. I let them cook until they had browned and then used a skimmer to lift them out of the oil and placed them on a folded paper towel to absorb the excess oil