Potato and Garlic Soup

This has to be one of my favorite soups. It is easy enough to make for a Saturday night supper but elegant enough to grace your holiday table. I have successfully used this soup for both. Don't let the amount of garlic concern you. The cooking process mellows out the garlic and compliments the other ingredients. However, if you like, you can roast an entire head of garlic in the oven first before adding the cloves to the soup. I cannot take the credit for this one. It was created by one of my cooking idols, Jacque Pepin.

Cook's Notes- To roast a head of garlic, cut the top off the heat and place it on a square of foil. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top and wrap the whole head in the foil. Place the foil packet into a 350 oven and bake for about 30-40 minutes. Remove from the oven, unwrap and squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins.

Serves 6-8

1/4 cup olive oil
2 leeks, trimmed, split, washed and sliced including most of the green
7 cups chicken stock
2 pounds of potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes(about 4 cups)
12-15 cloves of garlic
salt and pepper to taste.
2 cups of cubed white bread
2 tablespoons butter

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy 8-10 quart pot. When it is hot add the leeks and garlic. Cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the stock and the potatoes, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat. Boil gently for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet. When it is hot add the bread cubes and saute, stirring continuously until they are evenly browned on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and rest on a plate lined with a paper towel. To finish the soup, puree in batches using a food processor or use an immersion blender inserted directly into the pot. Stir the butter into the soup and serve, topped with the croutons