A hearty cream soup, filled with fall vegetables, cheese and spicy sausage. Great for a hot lunch on a cold winter day.
Prep Time30 minutesmins
Cook Time30 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Fall Soup, Potato Leek Soup
Servings: 103/4 cup servings
Author: Don Herman
Ingredients
1lbGround SausageNot Maple! But any variety will work
1lbRed Potatoes Peeled and diced
4stalksCelerySliced
2medLeeksChopped. See instructions for prepping leeks.
1medTurnipPeeled and diced
5cupsMilk
1cupCreamOr just another cup of milk
1/2tspThyme
1/2tspRosemary
2wholeAllspice
2wholeBay Leaf
1dashRed Pepper flakes or TabascoIf you like it spicier, beef up the pepper flakes.
Salt and Pepper to tasteHold off until after you add the cheese sauce.
Cheese Sauce
2tbspButter
3tbspFlour
2cupsMilk
3ozGrated CheeseYour choice. I used a mild cheddar.
Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
Chop or dice potatoes, celery, turnip and leeks. See here on how to prepare your leeks. I peel my turnips before cooking - I find the skin can be a bit bitter like a carrot. Peeled, they just have a simple peppery taste, while maintaining a nice firm texture.
Put the chopped potatoes, celery and turnip into a stock pot and add just enough water to cover - about 2 cups. Simmer veggies to al dente. Don't get them too mushy.
Brown the sausage in a skillet with the thyme and rosemary. Drain off excess fat, but leave a bit to saute the onions. Add the chopped leeks and saute until translucent. Add to the veggie pot.
Add the milk and cream (optional). Add the allspice and bay leaf. Bring to a very low simmer. Add the cheese sauce (below) and stir. Season with red pepper flakes or tabasco, and finally the salt and pepper to taste (I usually add about a tsp of salt, but it really depends on the cheese you choose.)
Cheese Sauce
In the hot skillet, melt your butter under medium/high heat. When it's hot, whisk in the flour and cook for about 2 or 3 minutes, until it's just browned and smells nutty.
Turn off heat and slowly whisk in the milk (it will steam and bubble). Stirring constantly, return to a low heat to thicken. Simmer gently for 8 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in your grated cheese until smooth. Set aside until ready to add to soup.
Notes
The soup will curdle if allowed to boil, so always use a low heat when the pot contains milk or cream.Be sure to clean your leeks properly. They are notorious for containing sand. If you want a stronger onion flavor, just substitute a large yellow onion or two.And finally - this is a poor boy's soup, so substitute freely. Check out your fridge and see what you have on hand. Broccoli? Sure! Bacon? Why not? This is simply a combo that I prefer and works well. Experiment.