Roasted Potato Leek Soup

Ingredients

• 3 cups baby arugula packed
• 6 cups chicken stock see homemade
• 8 ounces crème fraîche 
• 0.5 cup cooking wine dry white for serving
• 0.8 cup heavy cream 
• 8 servings kosher salt and pepper black freshly ground
• 4 cups leeks light white green cleaned chopped (4 leeks)
• 0.3 cup olive oil good
• 0.3 cup parmesan freshly grated for garnish
• 5  to 6 shallots peeled sliced into thin rings
• 3 tablespoons butter unsalted
• 1.5 cups vegetable oil 
• 2 pounds yukon gold potatoes peeled cut into 3/4-inch chunks

Equipment

• food processor
• frying pan
• paper towels
• sauce pan
• oven
• whisk
• spatula
• slotted spoon
• dutch oven
• candy thermometer

Directions

1. Watch how to make this recipe.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
3. Combine the potatoes and leeks on a sheet pan in a single layer.
4. Add the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss to coat the vegetables evenly. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, turning them with a spatula a few times during cooking, until very tender.
5. Add the arugula and toss to combine. Roast for 4 to 5 more minutes, until the arugula is wilted.
6. Remove the pan from the oven and place over 2 burners. Stir in the wine and 1 cup of the chicken stock and cook over low heat, scraping up any crispy roasted bits sticking to the pan.
7. In batches, transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor fitted with the steel blade, adding the pan liquid and about 5 cups of the chicken stock to make a puree.
8. Pour the puree into a large pot or Dutch oven. Continue to puree the vegetables in batches until they're all done and combined in the large pot.
9. Add enough of the remaining 1 to 2 cups of stock to make a thick soup.
10. Add the cream, creme fraiche, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and check the seasonings.
11. When ready to serve, reheat the soup gently and whisk in 2 tablespoons white wine and 1/4 cup of Parmesan.
12. Serve hot with an extra grating of Parmesan and crispy shallots, if using.
13. Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it reaches 220 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
14. Reduce the heat to low, add the shallots, and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until they are a rich golden brown. The temperature should stay below 260 degrees F. Stir the shallots occasionally to make sure they brown evenly.
15. Remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon, drain well, and spread out to cool on paper towels. Once they have dried and crisped, they can be stored at room temperature, covered, for several days.