Potage D’été and Creme Crecy
Potage D’été,“summer soup”, and Creme Crecy, “cream of carrot”, were recipes I received during the time I was assisting in cooking schools as a teenager. They were my first introduction to cream soups that you would ladle into a small bowls and use as a first course to an elegant meal. They were pretty and I made them for company all the time and everyone loved them. Later I discovered that they made a lovely comfort soup to go along with a sandwich, or cheese and crackers. The French use butter and cream and drink wine to counteract the effects on the coronary system. With or without the cream, these are très bon! You may want to heat the bowls or the cups (I use a plate warmer) so the soup stays warm when you pour it in them.
Potage D’été
Ingredients
- 3/4 pounds frozen peas
- 1 russet potato, peeled and thinly sliced
- 4 leeks, white and light green parts only (slice down the middle, rinse in between all the layers, slice down the middle of each half and slice thinly, removing the dark green parts)
- 1 head butter lettuce, broken in pieces
- 32 ounces chicken stock
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup cream (optional)
Instructions
Simmer peas, potato, leeks, and lettuce in chicken stock about 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Puree in blender, return to pot and reheat with lemon juice, salt, pepper and cream.
Creme Crecy
Ingredients
- 1 small onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced ( about 1/2 “)
- 2 russet potatoes, sliced
- 1/2 cup butter
- 5 1/2 to 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- a few dashes of tobasco
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup cream (optional)
Instructions
Melt butter in pan, add onions, carrots and potatoes and saute for about 10 minutes. Add the stock, thyme, and bay leaf and simmer 30-40 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove the bay leaf and puree in blender. Return to pot and add tobasco, honey, salt, pepper and cream. If you prefer your soup thinner, add milk.
