I have really enjoyed experimenting with my crock pot lately. My mom just gave me her extra one so I am just recently getting into this method of cooking. It’s so convenient! Since we have very few cold days here in Florida, I have mostly been using it for soups while we are experiencing some chilly nights! I can’t do soup when it’s 95 degrees (and humid) outside so we are getting our fix now. My husband requested potato leek last week. I was intimated at first because I don’t think I’ve ever even bought a leek before, lol. I looked up a few traditional recipes and also took a bit of inspiration from the Defined Dish to make it my own. Here is what we came up with:
6 yellow yukon potatoes
2 cups of leeks
1 sweet onion
4 cloves of garlic
6 cups of vegetable broth
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
Juice from 1/2 of a lemon
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/3 cup of cream
2 tbsp sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
optional garnishes – fresh thyme, green onions, parmesan cheese
With your crock pot on high, heat the butter and olive oil. Chop the leeks (discarding the darkest green part, you want the light green and white areas), onions and garlic and add to the crock pot once the butter and olive are melted. Stir to coat. Add the vegetable broth. Peel and cube the potatoes and add that to the crock pot. Then season with the sage, fresh thyme, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Cook on high for approximately 4 hours. Test the tenderness of the potatoes with a fork. Remove the bay leaf and use an immersion blender and blend until smooth. You can use a regular blender as well but you will most likely have to blend it in a few batches. Add the mixture back to the crock pot and mix in the cream and sour cream. You can add some additional salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with fresh thyme, green onions and parmesan cheese. Serve with your favorite warm bread for dipping!
