My luck has changed. Again.
My father warned me about changing luck. Once The Departed left, he said, I would no longer be the recipient of all his bad karma. I forget exactly how he explained it, but somehow, some people are able to vector off their bad karma onto others for a while. So while The Departed and I were together, I got what was coming to him, and a lot of what should have been coming to me, in turn, got vectored off. I’m not sure where and I don’t quite understand how. I’m pretty sure I don’t remember it in the vows. Then again, it was Vegas, so I wouldn’t swear to that.
Anyway, I entered a drawing over on The Country Cleaver, which you should totally read if you are in need of some foodie inspiration – and I won a cookbook. I didn’t even pay attention to what the drawing was for, because I never win stuff. I’m not lucky – at least, I don’t have the kind of good luck that involves winning things anyone would actually want.
Except that not only did I win it, it showed up at my house in a HUGE box two weeks later.
And not only that, it is glorious.
I won a copy of The Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook
I spent the better portion of an hour putting sticky notes that read “must try!” on the soup chapter. One recipe in particular jumped out at me: Country Style Potato Leek Soup. My grandma used to make me potato soup when I was sick. I don’t have her recipe and I doubt she actually had one, and there are days when I miss it so much it makes me ache with yearning.
This isn’t her recipe, but it is a very good one: A bowl of simple comfort.
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4-5 pounds leeks, sliced into 1-inch pieces (11 cups)
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 5¼ cups broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1¾ pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- salt and pepper
- Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Stir in leeks, increase heat to medium, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally. Cook 15-20 minutes, until leeks are tender; do not brown. Sprinkle flour over leeks and cook until flour dissolves, about 2 minutes.
- Increase heat to high and gradually add broth, whisking constantly. Add bay leaf and potatoes, cover, and bring to boil.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until potatoes are almost tender, 5-7 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let sit 10 to 15 minutes, until potatoes are tender and flavors meld. Discard bay leaf; season with salt and pepper.
This is my contribution to Weekend Cooking, hosted by Beth Fish Reads. Why not swing by and see what other culinary surprises await?
