There Vichyssoise is a cold cream made with potatoes, onion, leeks, broth (traditionally chicken, but vegetable can also be used), milk, cream, salt. The peculiarity of this preparation is that the ingredients must be boiled in vegetable broth, left to cool and only cold blended together with fresh cream. This process allows you to obtain a sweet, delicate, fresh and perfect cream to sip in the summer. It can be flavored with the classic nutmeg, but also served with chopped parsley, chives or chervil. It is usually served with gods crusty bread lightly toasted and then seasoned with a light layer of fresh butter. It is possible to make some changes to make Vichyssoise lighter and by following a few precautions you will be able to reproduce this at home great classic of French cuisine.

Preparation

1

Peel and cut the onion and leeks into slices. Cut the potatoes into cubes after having washed and peeled them.

2

Place a large saucepan on the heat and melt the butter over low heat. When the butter has melted, add the onion and leeks.

3

Saute everything for 10 minutes, always on low heat, then add the broth and potatoes.

4

Season with salt and cook over low heat for 30 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave to cool.

5

Pour the fresh cream into the mixture and blend everything with an immersion blender.

6

Serve with toasted croutons spread with a curl of butter.

Advice and tips

You can flavor the cream with nutmeg and serve it with chives, parsley or chervil.

Vichyssoise made with vegetable stock is more delicate than one made with chicken stock.

It is difficult to replace butter in this recipe, because this element is the basis of most recipes of French origin. You can, however, use vegetable cream or spreadable cheese as an alternative to fresh cream and use butter with low fat content. Eventually you can avoid using butter by cooking the ingredients directly in the vegetable broth.

You can use white or golden onions.

We advise you to use yellow-skinned potatoeswhich contain a good amount of starch.

Try to use only the white part of leeks, discarding the green leaves.

storage

The vichyssoise can be kept in the refrigerator, covered, for about 2 days. You can freeze it for up to 1 month, then thaw it at room temperature or in the microwave.

History

Vichyssoise was invented in 1917 in the restaurant of theRitz-Carlton hotel of New York where the French cook Louis Diat he tried to combine ingredients together that reminded him of the taste of his childhood. Obtained this cold cream with leeks, potatoes, cream and butter, he decided to call it Vichyssoise in honor of Vichya rather well-known city in France very close to his hometown, Montmarault.