Vichyssoise & Grilled Cheese | Recipeish | Gustus Vitae
- Yield: Serves 4.
- Time Estimate: 2 hours, including 1 hour unattended.
- Storage Notes: Will keep for 2 days, covered and refrigerated.
- Difficulty: Easy.
Vichyssoise is one of our favorite soups, and like revenge, this is a dish best served cold. Deceptively simple, the pairing of creamy potatoes and mild, onion-ish leeks combine to create a deeply savory and satisfying dish, one that pairs especially well with a simple grilled cheese. This recipe makes a bit extra: after a decadent lunch, we always find ourselves craving just a bit more the next day too.
Ingredients
For the Vichyssoise- 3 Large leeks
- 3 Large Russet potatoes
- 5 Tbs duck fat
- 3 Tbs French Onion Seasoning
- 2 Tbs Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- 2 Tbs Taste of Provence
- 2 Tbs Taste of Bordeaux
- 1 Large white onion
- 8 Cloves garlic
- 5 Cups Low sodium vegetable stocks
- 2 Cups Heavy whipping cream
For the Grilled Cheese
- 8 Slices white bread
- 8 Slices American Cheese
- 1 Tbs duck fat
- 4-6 Tbs Mayonnaise
Directions
- Preheat oven to 300F.
- Rinse leeks, discarding any rough outer leaves and the hairy bottom. Finely chop, and reserve.
- Peel and rinse potatoes, dice into cubes around 1" x 1", and reserve.
- Mince garlic and onions, and reserve.
- Bring a dutch oven up to medium high heat, and melt duck fat.
- Add onions, garlic, and French Onion Seasoning, and cook until onions become translucent - around 5 minutes.
- Add leeks and cook a further 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Pour in vegetable stock and deglaze, scraping up any fond stuck on the bottom of the dutch oven.
- Bring to a boil and add potatoes, before reducing to a simmer.
- Cook for around 15 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender, then add Taste of Bordeaux, Taste of Provence, and Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, stirring to combine.
- Pour in cream, and use an immersion blender to puree the soup, blending until there are no lumpy bits remaining.
- Cover dutch oven, and pop in the oven, cooking for a further 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven, and allow 15 minutes for it cool, before placing the dutch oven in the freezer for around 40 minutes to fully chill the soup.
- At around the 30 minute mark, bring a large cast iron pan up to medium heat, and melt duck fat.
- Spread mayo evenly on the outside of the bread, and make 4 sandwiches.
- Cook in batches, around 3 minutes per side, with the a lid over the cast iron.
- Ladle out the soup, slice the grilled cheese in half, serve, and devour.