Bring on the Summer Heat

Now that summer is officially here, it’s time for cool meals. I’ve been craving leeks so vichyssoise – the classic chilled leek and potato soup – was the obvious choice. I looked through all my cookbooks to study the variations and decided to make my own version based on the recipe in Gourmet Meals in Minutes. I picked this one because of the cheesecloth pouch with a few herbs and spices. I’ve used this technique before and it works very well for adding a slight layer of complexity without overpowering the delicate primary flavors. I did, however, make some changes. First, I substituted butter for the olive oil. Leeks sautéed in olive oil are delicious but leeks sautéed in butter are heavenly. Also, I omitted the onions. I love leeks’ mild oniony flavor and it feels like overkill to add onions to them.

The leeks that I bought were the sandiest, grittiest leeks I’ve ever seen! Cleaning leeks is easy. The secret is to clean them after you chop them. Fill a large bowl with cold water. Chop the leeks according to the recipe and drop the chopped leeks into the water. Swirl them around to separate them then let them sit for a couple of minutes. All the sand and grit will drop to the bottom of the bowl. Just scoop out the leeks and dry them in paper towels.

To go with my soup, I made fruit salad. But not just any fruit salad. I made a vanilla-mint fruit salad based on a recipe from the July/August 2007 issue of Cooks Illustrated magazine. Their version used cantaloupe, plums, and cherries. I used nectarines, plums, and blueberries. You can use any fruit that looks particularly good at the market. Vanilla and fresh mint are a brilliant combination and when you add the lime juice, it really brings all the flavors together.

Vichyssoise (4 to 6 servings)

• 2 tbsp. butter
• 3 leeks, chopped into small pieces
• 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into small dice
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cheesecloth pouch containing 2 whole cloves, 2 parsley stems, 2 peppercorns, ½ bay leaf
• 1 ½ cups half and half
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp. chopped chives

1. Melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, chicken broth, and cheesecloth pouch. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes begin to fall apart, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Remove and discard the cheesecloth pouch. Purée the soup. Stir in the cream and add salt and pepper to taste. Fold in the chives. Chill before serving.

Vanilla-Mint Fruit Salad (6 servings)

• 4 tsp. sugar
• 2 tbsp. minced fresh mint leaves
• ¼ tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 nectarines, pitted and cut into ½-inch pieces
• 2 plums, pitted and cut into ½-inch pieces
• 1 half-pint container blueberries
• 2 tbsp. lime juice

1. Combine sugar and mint in a large bowl. Using a rubber spatula, press the mixture into the side of the bowl until the sugar becomes damp, about 30 seconds. Add the vanilla.
2. Gently toss the fruit with the sugar mixture until combined. Let stand at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until the fruit releases its juices, 15 to 30 minutes.Stir in the lime juice to taste.