Vichysoisse

Reading about the origins of famous recipes always interests me. Vichyssoise, the refreshing chilled soup based on leeks and potatoes, first came to light at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in New York early in the 20th century.
Head chef Louis Diat was looking for an idea for a new first course for his menu, and remembered the simple leek and potato soup his maman would make for his breakfast.
The family version was chunky and served hot enough to require cooling with a glass of milk. That gave Louis an idea. He turned the basic recipe into a puree, added milk and cream, chilled it and named his creation Vichyssoise after the town of Vichy near his childhood home. The soup remained on the menu for the 30 years of Monsieur Diat's tenure.
Once a restaurant staple, Vichyssoise is seldom seen nowadays. That's a shame, because few dishes are so superbly refreshing on a hot day.
Monsieur Diat's original version used water as its major liquid ingredient, plus the milk and an indecent amount of cream, but the few chefs who list it on their menus nowadays generally substitute chicken or vegetable stock and skip the milk which, in modern, pasteurised form sometimes forms a skin on the surface.
Wash the leeks carefully, as they can harbour dirt between their layers.
2 Tbsps butter
2 small leeks, white part only, well washed, diced
1 medium onion, diced
3 medium potatoes, peeled, diced
4 cups chicken stock
salt
2 cups cream (or less)
finely chopped chives, for serving
Melt the butter in a pot, add the leek and onion and cover.
Sweat the vegetables on a very low heat, stirring occasionally, until they are soft but not at all brown.
Add the potatoes, stock and salt to taste and simmer until the potatoes are soft.
Force the soup through a sieve, or use a vegetable mill, and return to the pot. Do not use a blender or food processor as they will turn the potatoes gluey.
Stir in enough cream to form a good texture, warm it through, then cool and refrigerate.
When it is chilled, adjust the seasoning and serve sprinkled with the chopped chives.
Serves 4-6 as starter or light lunch
Wine match

Chilled soup is a difficult match for any wine but, in France, where Vichyssoise still has a following despite being regarded as an American import, it is usually accompanied by a lightly oaked chardonnay from Burgundy.
A good local substitute would be Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Chardonnay 2009, which has no more than a touch of oak spice behind its primary aromas of orange rind and peach.
The same characters can be found on the palate, but it is the crisp, dry texture that works with the soup because it provides a refreshing contrast and cuts through the richness.
The standard price is in the low-$20s, but you will probably find it for less.