Potato Leek Soup in the Pressure Cooker

Serves 6 in about 45 minutes. The pot starts with bay leaf, then bacon.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 4-5 large leeks, 5-6 cups sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 5-6 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper (or black)
• 1 ½ lbs gold potatoes, cubed
• ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
• ¾ cup half and half (or heavy cream, for lower fat use milk)
• Chopped chives (or parsley)
• Sour cream
• Bacon (cooked and chopped)

Method

1. Clean and slice leeks into half-moon shapes. Cut off the dark green part, trimming to the part where the color is a pale green. Rinse well to get the dirt out of the layers.
2. Press the Sauté button on the pressure cooker. When the display reads 'Hot', add the oil and butter.
3. Stir in the leeks and stir. Simmer until soft, while stirring now and then. It's fine if they brown a little.
4. Tip in garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant, while stirring often.
5. Scatter the flour over the leeks and stir. Simmer for a instant to get the raw taste out of the flour.
6. Mix in the broth. Be sure to dissolve the flour and scrape the bottom of the pot so you don't get a "burn" issue.
7. Tip in the bay leaf, salt, pepper, and the potatoes, nutmeg. Stir.
8. Put the lid on the pot and set the steam release knob to the Sealing position.
9. Press the Manual (or Pressure Cook) button, and the +/- button to select 7 minutes.
10. When the cooking cycle has ended, let the pot sit undisturbed to naturally release the pressure for 15 minutes. Then manually release the remaining steam.
11. When the pin in the lid drops, open it and stir the soup. Lift out the bay leaf. Then use an immersion blender to puree it. If you don't have an immersion blender, you can use a blender, pureeing the soup in small batches very carefully.
12. Mix in the half and half.
13. Taste and adjust salt, if needed.Garnish with chopped chives and sour cream.
14. Plate hot or chilled.

More instant pot ideas are in the instant pot collection.