Spring Wild Leek (Ramp) and Potato Soup

  • 2 large bunches (2 large handfuls) wild leeks
  • 8 medium Yukon Gold potatoes
  • 2 TB butter
  • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 qt vegetable or chicken stock or 1 qt water with vegetable or chicken bouillon
  • 2 cups milk

Peel and dice potatoes. Melt butter in a medium-large soup pot, add diced potatoes, a dash of salt and sauté until beginning to color. Add stock or water and bouillon and bring to a simmer. Wash and trim leeks/ramps. Take one of the bunches (half of the leeks/ramps) and cut into small pieces, add to soup pot. Simmer until the potatoes are tender. Blend half of the soup until smooth using a table top blender and return to pot or use an immersion blender right in the pot and only partially puree soup to a creamy consistency with some chunks. Slowly add milk. Heat through until hot but do not boil. Cut up the remaining leeks/ramps and add to the soup. Stir and continue to warm but again, do not boil soup. Season with ground pepper and taste for saltiness. The bouillon contains salt so be careful not to over-salt.