Golden Potato-Leek Soup with Cheddar Toasts

Yukon gold potatoes are the key ingredient to give the soup rich, buttery flavor. This makes a generous amount, so share the bounty with friends or freeze half of the batch for a future meal.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 1 cup soup and 1 toast)

Ingredients

• Soup:
• 1  tablespoon  butter
• 3  cups  thinly sliced leek (about 3 medium)
• 6  cups  cubed peeled Yukon gold potato (about 2 1/4 pounds)
• 2  cups  water
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 2  (14-ounce) cans organic vegetable broth (such as Swanson Certified Organic)
• 2  thyme sprigs
• 
  Cheddar Toasts:
• 8  (1/4-inch-thick) slices diagonally cut sourdough French bread baguette
• Cooking spray
• 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/8  teaspoon  ground red pepper
• 
  Remaining Ingredients:
• 1/3  cup  whipping cream
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• Thyme sprigs (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°.

To prepare soup, melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add leek; cook 10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally (do not brown).

Add potatoes, water, salt, broth, and 2 thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes or until potatoes are very tender.

To prepare cheddar toasts, place baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 7 minutes or until toasted. Turn slices over; coat with cooking spray, and sprinkle 1 tablespoon cheese over each slice. Bake 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Sprinkle evenly with red pepper.

Remove pan from heat; discard thyme sprigs. Partially mash potatoes with a potato masher; stir in cream. Sprinkle with black pepper. Serve with cheddar toasts. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

299 (25% from fat)

Fat:

8.6g (sat 4.7g,mono 2.7g,poly 0.6g)

Protein:

7.5g

Carbohydrate:

48.4g

Fiber:

3.9g

Cholesterol:

25mg

Iron:

2mg

Sodium:

660mg

Calcium:

113mg