A Spring Recipe from Landi VanAlen

For those of you who were at the Winthrop School last Thursday for the Arbor Day assembly, you will remember Sheila McAdams, the principal telling the wonderful story about wild leeks. As a child, Sheila gathered them in the wooded areas on the boundaries of her family's farm. In the Spring, the bare trees allowed the sun to filter to the ground and made it possible for tender leeks to grow. Sheila collected the leeks and was able to sell them to neighbors who liked to use them in recipes.

Wild leeks or "ramps" have become rarer today but should you find your own spring leeks in a forest or supermarket, Landi VanAlen shares her very own recipe for wild leek vichyssoise with us.

Landi VanAlen's Wild Leek Vichyssoise

6 peeled diced potatoes
21/2 cups clean chopped wild leeks
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
2 tsps. chopped fresh dill
5 tbsp. butter
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
salt & pepper to taste

1. Boil potatoes until tender and set aside.
2. Saute (lightly) wild leeks, chives and dill in butter in large pot.
3. Add chicken broth to leek mixture and bring to a boil.
4. Remove from heat; season with salt and pepper.
5. Drain potatoes and add to leek broth.
6. In a blender, puree on low for one minute or until smooth.
7. Chill. Then stir in cream.
8. Serve garnished with fresh chives.