Leek and Brussels Sprout Soup

Eh-dible.

Note the barely visible sunken poached egg. Le sigh.

As I've said before, this blog is about TRUTH (nope), and I know this is a safe space where my LITERALLY TENS OF READERS won't judge me for having an off night. If nothing else, tonight was a reminder that putting your heart and mind into your cooking fully makes a big difference. Mushy, but proven true for me time and again.

It was a long day. I got home from work and meetings a bit after 9, fairly cold to the idea of making soup. None of the things I had planned to make and purchased ingredients for were sounding right to me. I even texted Logan in a halfhearted attempt to be excused from making soup. He didn't let me off the hook.

See, what did sound good to me at the end of a long day was the food that makes me happiest: A big indulgent Saturday breakfast. For me that usually means green things (of the fresh variety, not the moldy), potatoes, and eggs. I try to always keep some sort of supply on hand, because the peace a lazy breakfast on the couch watching Parks & Recreation affords is fairly unmatched. My very favorite lick-the-plate breakfast happens when I have leeks, Brussels sprouts and fingerling potatoes on hand (okay if I'm being honest there are probably also mushrooms but let's not get too chubby complicated about it).

So tonight I figured, hey! I have the components of a meal that makes me super happy! Why not turn that into a soup?

Eh.

It's just not as good as the real thing. If you told me earlier today I could ever feel this blah about leeks and Brussels sprouts, two of my favorite things on the planet (see also: blankets, greeting cards, Podcasts, Logan), I'd've been aghast. ALAS.

This soup was fine. It was totally par for the course of the crap-lite day. Not an all-out inedible disaster, but nothing to write home about--although apparently something to write Internet about. Possible silver lining: I guess it's a testament to how much I've liked the other soups I've made that I'm all dreary and dismal about a basically tolerable soup. Excelsior, or whatever.

You know, it probably could have been good if my heart and brain were in it a little more. I made it too thin--It needed more potatoes or less broth or more simmering to reduce. The thinness, even after I added a few tablespoons of cream at the last minute, meat my lovely poached eggs sunk down in the hot soup and turned soft-boiled--not what I was going for. But by then, it was too late, both for the egg and for the fact that this was turning into a 10pm dinner.

Honto didn't complain. Logan said, after eating the whole bowl, that it probably needed more salt. I was just underwhelmed and craving a good solid breakfast. Saturday, here I come.

I think that thing about putting your heart into what you're making probably impacts the cook more than anyone else. If you're not stoked on it, it probably isn't going to taste as good. That doesn't mean you can only make fancypants, exciting recipes transcribed by big-time chefs. It doesn't mean you have to labor for hours and plate and garnish impeccably. All I mean is, if you're gonna put in the time, you gotta put in the love.

Indifference needs a whole messa salt.

I'll include this recipe because that's what I do. I don't really recommend you do what I did, but feel free to take the idea and use your superior skills and superior loving powers to make it better. Here's my highest compliment for what festers below: the potato and sprout leaf garnish was pretty good.

Leek and Brussels Sprout Soup with Crispy Potato Coins and Sprout Leaves

Serves 3, I guess

GET THIS STUFF (or don't)

olive oil

1 large leek, white and light green parts only, sliced

1 c Brussels sprouts, quartered

1 clove garlic

2 fingerling potatoes, sliced thick

2 c vegetable broth (I used 3--it was too much)

1 T chopped fresh parsley

2 T cream

a sqeeze of lemon juice

Garnish: 

olive oil

4 fingerling potatoes, thinly sliced

1 c Brussels sprouts, larger leaves separated

DO THIS WITH IT (but yeah, probably don't)

Heat a glug of olive oil over medium heat and add leeks and Brussels sprouts with a sprinkle of salt.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until everything starts to get some nice golden coloring.

Cover and cook over low heat for about 15 minutes, until the leeks start to melt together.

Heat oven to 400 F (for garnish).

Add garlic and potatoes, turn heat back to medium and stir around a bit

Cook uncovered for about 5 minutes. 

Add broth and cook until potatoes are tender (10 minutes should do it).

Meanwhile, make your garnish: Toss potato slices and sprout leaves with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread them on a cookie sheet and bake until crispy (should be done about when your soup is done, but do check).

Make a poached egg for each bowl--instructions for this are a huge Internet debate I'm not planning to dip my toe into, so do it as you like.

Back to the soup: Add parsley and puree with an immersion blender.

Stir in cream and lemon juice and season to taste.

Serve with a poached egg in each bowl, praying it doesn't sink, and top with crispy potatoes and sprout leaves.