Spring Soup
Remove the green tops and the roots from 2 or 3 leeks, clean them well, and cut them in small dice, enough to fill 1 cup. Dice 1 onion; a small one should make the necessary ¼ cup. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a heavy kettle, add the leeks and the onion, cover the kettle, and cook the vegetables slowly for a few minutes, or until they are soft but not brown. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon. Pare 2 potatoes and cut them in quarters and then in thin slices, to measure 1 ½ to 2 cups. Pare 2 medium carrots and cut them in thin slices. Add the potatoes, the carrots, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 ½ cups hot water to the kettle. Cook the mixture slowly for 15 minutes. Add ¼ cup rice and, when it is available, 10 to 12 stalks of fresh asparagus, cleaned and cut into small pieces, and cook the soup for 25 minutes longer. Add ½ pound spinach, thoroughly washed and chopped, and cook for 10 minutes. Add 1 cup light cream and bring the soup back to the boiling point. Taste it and correct the seasoning with salt if necessary. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Potage Parmentier
Remove the green tops and roots from 4 leeks, clean them well under running water, and cut them in small dice. There should be ½ cups. If leeks are not available, substitute 2 onions. Dice 1 onion. There should be ½ cup. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy soup kettle, add the leeks and onion, cover the kettle, and cook the vegetables slowly for a few minutes, until they ate soft but not brown. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon. Pare and dice 4 or 5 potatoes. There should be 3 to 3 ½ cups of dice. Add the potatoes, 3 cups hot water, and 2 teaspoons salt to the kettle, and cook slowly for 30 to 40 minutes, until the potatoes arc very soft. Strain the soup through a fine sieve or force it through a food mill, return the strained puree to the kettle, bring it back to a boil, stirring constantly to keep it from scorching, and add 3 cups hot milk and 1 tablespoon butter. Taste the soup and if necessary correct the seasoning with salt. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
For a richer soup, mix 2 egg yolks with ½ cup cream, warm the mixture with 1 cup of the hot soup, then pour it into the kettle, stirring briskly. Bring the soup to the tailing point, stirring it constantly, but do not allow it to bubble up and boil violently, because this would cause the eggs to cook and separate from the mixture, thus curdling it.
Crème Santé (Cream of Sorrel Soup)
Prepare 1 ½ quarts simple potage Parmentier, without egg yolks and cream. Clean and shred sorrel to make ½ cup, firmly packed. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small pan, add the sorrel, and cook it slowly, stirring, until most of the moisture is cooked away. Add the sorrel to the potage Parmentier. Mix 1 egg yolk with ½ cup cream, warm it by adding 1 cup of the hot soup mixture, and return it to the kettle, stirring briskly, bring the soup just to the boil, stirring it constantly, but do not allow it to boil.
Crème Cressonière (Cream of Water Cress Soup)
Prepare 1 ½ to 2 quarts simple potage Parmentier, without egg yolks and cream. Wash 2 bunches of water cress and cook the cress for 3 or A minutes in boiling salted water. Drain the cress well, rub it through a sieve, and combine the puree with the potage Parmentier. Add 1 cup cream and reheat the soup to the boiling point.
Crème Viebyssoise Glaeée
Remove the green tops and roots from A leeks, clean them well, and cut them in small dice, enough to fill 1 ½ cups. Dice 1 onion. There should be ½ cup. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy soup kettle, add the leeks and onion, cover the kettle, and cook the vegetables slowly for a few minutes, until they arc soft but not brown. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon. Pare and dice A or 5 potatoes, to make 3 to 3 1/3 cups of dice. Add the potatoes, 1 quart hot water, and 2 teaspoons salt to the kettle and cook the soup slowly for 30 to 40 minutes, until the potatoes are very soft. Strain the soup through a fine sieve or force it through a food mill. Return the strained puree to the kettle and add 2 cups hot milk and 2 cups light cream. Bring the soup back to the boil, stirring it occasionally to keep the purée from settling to the bottom and scorching, and strain it again through a fine sieve. Cool the soup, stirring it occasionally to keep it smooth. Strain it again and add I cup heavy cream. Mix well and chill thoroughly. Sprinkle with chopped chives.
Crème Vichyssoise à la Ritz
Add 1 cup tomato juice to 3 cups crème vichyssoise and serve well chilled.
Créme Crécy (Cream of Carrol Soup)
Pare A or 5 medium carrots and cut them in thin slices. Dice 1 onion. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a heavy soup kettle, add the carrots and onion, cover the kettle, and cook the vegetables slowly for 15 minutes. Do not let them brown. Add 1 quart hot water, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon sugar, and ½ cup rice. Cook the soup slowly for 45 minutes, until the carrots are very soft. Strain the soup through a fine sieve or force it through a food mill, return the purée to the kettle, and add 2 more cups hot water. Bring the soup to a boil and add 1 cup light cream and 1 tablespoon butter. Taste it and if necessary correct the seasoning with salt. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
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