Title says it all, really. Does potato soup freeze well, or would I be better off panfrying the leeks and freezing them? Leeks come in bundles that are big enough for me to make several pots of potato soup, and I don’t use them for anything else.
I’m also willing to experiment with other recipes that use leeks, for that matter.
I’ll take a guess and say freeze the fried leeks. Fried onions freeze well, and leeks are from the same family. Again, just a guess.
There’s plenty of links about freezing potato soup out there, and the consensus seems to be that the taste stays good, but the potatoes take on some graininess. Apparently, you can blend this graininess out after thawing and adding some more milk or cream.
Oh, and one of my favorite uses of leeks is from 101 Cookbooks. This recipe is awesome!
I second freezing the leeks. Potatoes take on an unpleasant texture when they’re frozen and thawed. I now make beef stew sans potatoes if I know I’m going to be freezing some.
I think that is the trick to good freezing. All the starchy stuff - potatoes, pasta, rice etc, turn to crap in the freezer. So if you intend having leftovers cook those things separately both times.
I think of the leek as the onion’s smarter brother and interchange them at will. Longish strips of leek are great in stir fries and with long pasta, I make a layered potato, cheese and leek casserole that is really popular, leek vinaigrette is any easy summer side for with salads and BBQ and fried leeks makes a change from fried onions. Some people who dislike onions are quite happy with the milder taste of leeks. They also look cool in the flowerbed without the overpowering smell of flowering garlic.
This wasn’t the answer I wanted, but it’s good to know anyway. I guess that I’ll just use leeks instead of onions when I have leftover leeks. I was hoping to stash some potato soup in the freezer for those times when I really, really need some comfort food. My potato soup and Campbell’s potato soup are just…not the same food at all. Really. My potato soup is ambrosia, and ever so fragrant, and it is actual FOOD.
Leeks are the onions of the Gods. Once I trained myself to remember to use them instead of onions, everything got better.
They’re great in egg dishes - even just scrambled eggs. Divine in quiche.
Also good in stir fries. Not sure they’re very authentic, but who cares? I made a pork & leek stir fry once that was amazing.
Wonderful in soup, but you know that. Chicken soup with leeks is especially good.
I’ve even seen braised leeks as a side dish. I haven’t tried that, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t be good. They’re mild enough to eat on their own.
