Cold French Vichyssoise soup - recipe

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Updated: Veldrina

07/05/2017 Cooking time: 40 min

Like most puree soups, vichyssoise is usually served with garlic croutons, fried shrimp, and a pinch of nutmeg! It is served cooled, sometimes cold, to tone it up.

Vichyssoise soup in French

Attention! The original recipe uses rich, rather than cubed, chicken stock. It is acceptable to use beef or vegetable broth, but also prepared with your own hands

So, let’s pack up (for 4 servings):

• 400 grams - leek (we take only that part of the stem that is located between the thickening of the bulb and the leaves - it is the most fragrant and strong);
• 0.5 liters of chicken broth (cook half a medium chicken or 2 legs or 4 legs in a liter of water for 30 minutes after boiling without cutting off the fat);
• 400-500 grams of potatoes (it’s best to buy them young, but if they come from your own garden, it’s just a delight);
• 1/4 pack - butter (fat content not lower than 72.5%);
• 1 glass - cream (20%);
• to taste - salt and a mixture of ground pepper.

To serve we will purchase:

• king prawns - 500 gr.;
• refined vegetable oil - 2 tbsp;
• lemon (lime) - half;
• garlic - 2-3 cloves;
• fresh dill - 100 gr.;
• salt - at your discretion.

Let's get started:

• We prepare all the components for work: thoroughly wash the onion, dill, and thawed shrimp under running water; peel and wash potatoes and garlic; Place the greens on a napkin to dry.
• Using a sharp knife, cut the onion stalks into thin “wheels”, finely chop the garlic and dill, set aside in separate plates; Cut the potatoes into small cubes.
• Place a deep frying pan or saucepan with a non-stick coating on medium heat and fry the leeks in butter (until a characteristic pleasant smell appears - on average 7-10 minutes), stirring occasionally.
• Then put the potatoes there and pour in the broth. Reduce the heat and simmer the vegetables for about half an hour under the lid.
• Add some salt and pepper to the soup being prepared.
• After removing the soup from the stove, using a mixer or blender (at high speed), beat the contents into a homogeneous air mass, add cream in portions. The consistency of the soup is thick sour cream.
• Let the dish sit and cool to room temperature.

Advice! While the vegetables for the main course are stewing, you will have time to fry delicious shrimp.

We will prepare shrimp like this:

• First, pour vegetable oil into a frying pan (sunflower oil is possible) and put it on low heat.
• Distribute the shrimp evenly over the entire area of ​​the frying pan, add chopped garlic to them, pour in the juice of a squeezed half of a lemon, and add a little salt.
• Let it fry for literally 5-6 minutes, stirring.
• The finished soup is served in a porcelain plate, garnished with chopped dill, as are large, delicious shrimp, served in a separate plate.

You can save money! If you decide to prepare a “budget” version of French soup, then we suggest replacing expensive shrimp with croutons.

To prepare croutons we need:

• half 1 small baguette or about half a regular loaf;
• a couple of cloves of garlic;
• 2-3 tablespoons of vegetable oil.

Cooking method:

• Peel the garlic and crush the whole cloves on a cutting board with the flat side of a knife until they crackle.
• Place the garlic in a heated frying pan with oil and fry for 1-2 minutes; after frying, discard the cloves.
• Place the baguette cut into small cubes in garlic butter and dry until golden brown.
• Serve the finished croutons in a plate along with the puree soup.

Some connoisseurs of culinary delights like to add celery and ground nutmeg to the soup, and use milk instead of cream. Vegans can replace dairy products with almond or coconut milk.

Perhaps you can add something new and impressive to the recipe. https://www.youtube.com/embed/T_vSpiFaIGQ

Steps

Cooking tips:

1. You can replace milk with cream traditional for this soup.

2. The broth can be replaced with boiling water.

You can add the soup:

1. Shrimp. Fry the garlic in olive oil, add peeled shrimp, fry until golden brown. Coarsely chop the shrimp and mix with chopped fennel. Serve with chilled soup.

2. For strips of bacon, fry thinly sliced ​​bacon on both sides in a dry frying pan. Serve with hot soup.

3. Vegetables. Cut the carrots and champignons into small cubes and fry in vegetable oil, add salt. Serve the vegetables with the soup along with croutons.

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What can you serve with vichyssoise soup?

Appetizers for vichyssoise soup are very varied

• Salad with fennel, garlic and shrimp. Fry shrimp in butter. Peel the fennel, chop and add to the shrimp. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Place on a plate, add finely chopped garlic. Season with olive oil and lemon juice. This is a standard addition to the main dish.

• Cucumber and green onion salad. Peel the cucumbers and cut into slices. Finely chop the green onions. Add salt. Season with sour cream.

• This onion soup is often served with chicken. Boil 100-150 g of fillet, add salt. Cool, cut into pieces.

• Will go well with crackers. Garlic croutons highlight the soft texture of the soup.

• Why not enjoy a typical French lunch? Onion cream soup and a glass of good red wine.

• Fresh vegetables. Peel tomatoes, bell peppers, rinse, cut into slices. Add salt.

• Complement the taste of creamy onion soup with lightly salted fish. Cut trout or salmon into thin slices, garnish with parsley and serve with soup.

• Greenery. Take a few sprigs of dill, 2-3 leaves of basil or oregano, wash and chop finely. Sprinkle the cooled soup with herbs.

Do you know that:

• Vichyssoise can be cooled quickly by placing the pan in a bowl of ice water; • it can be consumed warm or even hot; • only white parts of leek are used for soup

It is important that the onions are stewed and not fried. Otherwise, vichyssoise will acquire an ugly color and lose its soft creamy taste; • there are many “innovative” soup additives

For example, add cinnamon or paprika to a chilled dish, already poured into plates. There is also a very modified vichyssoise: instead of potatoes they put cauliflower, and there is no cream among the ingredients at all; • calorie content of the dish is only 95 kcal. If you replace butter with olive oil and add low-fat cream, then 100 g of soup will contain only 79 kcal; • according to the old French tradition, vichyssoise should be prepared by men; • You can also add carrots to the composition. However, the taste will become more intense and a bright orange hue will appear; • the recipe for the classic creamy vichyssoise soup is often found in cinema. For example, in the film “Batman,” the hero of Bruce Willis indignantly scolds his servant who dared to bring him cold soup. The butler spent a long time assuring the owner that this was a special type of French onion first course, and it was customary to serve it chilled.

How to serve creamy onion cream soup in restaurants

Vichyssoise served in a restaurant should be served in containers of a contrasting color

contrasting color

There are usually several types of vichyssoise on the menu. The portion is usually very large, at least 200 g. The plate can be any color except white. Apparently, so that there is a contrast. In high-end restaurants, crushed ice or even ice cream (ice cream) is placed on the plate. Garnish with mint, chives or dill. An appetizer is served separately: squid, fennel salad, boiled sea fish or fresh vegetables.

How to prepare Vichyssoise puree soup step by step with photos at home

To prepare Vichyssoise cream soup, chicken broth must be warm, it is better to take cream with at least 25-30% fat, you also need potatoes, leeks, milk and spices.

Cut the white part of the leek into rings.

Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the leeks.

Sauté the onion until soft over medium heat, but be careful not to let it brown.

Peel and cut the potatoes.

Add potatoes to onions and stir.

Pour in the broth and cook until the potatoes are ready for 20-25 minutes.

Then add milk, salt and pepper and remove from heat.

Place Vichyssoise soup in a blender and blend until smooth.

Transfer the prepared puree into a saucepan, add nutmeg and 0.5 cups of cream, salt and pepper to taste.

Heat well, but do not bring to a boil. Vichyssoise soup can be served warm or cold, sprinkled with fresh onions.

Ingredients

• 230 gr. onion
• 180 g leek
• 20 gr. butter
• 750 g potatoes
• 600 ml vegetable broth

  or chicken

• 500 ml milk 2.5%
• 1/6 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 piece bay leaf
• ground black pepper
• salt

• for croutons

• 8 slices bread
• 2 cloves garlic

Fragrant, tender, silky – that’s all about it, the French onion soup-puree “Vichyssoise”. Today we will not only tell you its recipe, but also give recommendations on how and what to serve it with. By the way, this soup is traditionally served cold, but we think it’s incredibly good served hot too!

Author of the publication

Chief Editor

Olesya Fisenko

Show all author's recipes

Olesya Fisenko

Chief Editor

Olesya Fisenko

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Whose are you, Vichyssoise?

Vichyssoise today is an international dish

Chefs are still arguing about which cuisine the delicacy belongs to. It was prepared by a French chef, but in an American restaurant in New York. Therefore, both France and the USA claim the homeland of this onion soup with a soft, creamy taste.

Debate over such a minor issue shows the versatility of the delicacy. It is enjoyed with pleasure in many cities around the world. It is also interesting that vichyssoise is considered a truly homemade dish, although it can be found in any decent restaurant.

There are dozens of recipes for cream soup; each housewife adds her own special ingredient. Remember that the basis is always made up of three elements:

• potato,

• cream,

• leek.

Required Ingredients

You don’t need exotic products to prepare it - all the ingredients included in the creamy soup recipe are simple and affordable. The grocery basket includes the following ingredients:

• 200 g leeks;
• no more than 200 g of potatoes;
• a glass of cream (not too high fat, 15% is optimal);
• 50 g butter;
• 1.5 cups of chicken broth (you can use vegetable broth, then the dish will be less high in calories);
• spices: nutmeg and black pepper;
• salt to taste;
• fresh greens.

Vichyssoise, like most puree soups, is usually served accompanied by croutons - bread croutons. Prepare crispy croutons separately: fry small slices of bread in vegetable oil. To give the croutons a piquant taste, you can grate the cooled slices with a clove of garlic or fennel.

Description

Vichyssoise is a classic, delicious onion soup made with a special recipe using shallots, cream and croutons. It is believed that the dish comes from France and is classified as French cuisine. Preparation does not take much time, and a pleasant result is guaranteed. Many people like the delicacy, because it is not only appetizing, but also very healthy. Even novice housewives can make soup at home without much difficulty. And if you follow our step-by-step recommendations with photos, then no questions will arise at all. You will see from your own example that this dish can be prepared very quickly and easily.

Classic vichyssoise is made from various types of onions, but most often it is leeks or shallots. A characteristic feature of this vegetable is that it does not have a strong smell or taste, unlike onions. Therefore, the food comes out with a subtle, sweet-spicy and delicate aftertaste. And for piquancy, the main ingredient is mixed with cream. Use low-fat sauce.

Even in chic restaurants, the delicacy is eaten with toast, croutons, or garnished with dill or parsley.

In our visual recipe with step-by-step photos, you can learn more about how to prepare classic French vichyssoise at home. So don’t waste time and let’s get started. You will see from your own experience that the process is simple and very fast.

History of origin

Vichyssoise - a culinary classic

There is no clear opinion as to who is the author of this dish. Experts are inclined to the three most likely versions:

1. The author of creamy onion soup is Louis XV. While relaxing in a hunting lodge away from everyone, he decided to cook dinner. However, in the pantry there were only onions, a head of cheese and a couple of potatoes.

2. The soup was invented in 1869 by a French cook, Jules Gouffet, who published the recipe in his cookbook. The dish was often served at the table of Emperor Napoleon III. It was called “Cream-glaze from the city of Vichy.” The ingredients were the same as today, the only difference was that the soup was eaten hot.

3. The story of the French chef Louis Dia turned out to be more common. He worked in a restaurant in New York in the 20s of the 20th century and, remembering his carefree childhood, decided to cook “mom’s soup.” He named it in honor of the city in which he was born (Vichy, France).

There is even a fragment of the chef’s interview with an American magazine, in which he said:

“Having worked at the Ritz for several years, I could not forget the impeccable taste of my mother’s creamy soup. In the summer, to escape the incredible heat, we often ate onion soup and washed it down with cold milk. I have never tried anything better in my life! I decided to cook it in the restaurant.”

Soup composition

What the sophisticated French love most is this amazing onion soup. Such a stew will not spoil your figure, will not waste you, and will saturate you with vitamins.

The main components of Vichyssoise, both previously and to this day, are onions, potatoes and broth. If you have a little skill, the dish can be prepared in an average of 30-40 minutes. A necessary condition for proper preparation is uniform consistency and thickness. Additions of various spices and seasonings are welcome to improve the taste, but in the classic version, the soup is served only with fried shrimp or garlic croutons on white bread.

The puree soup is also suitable for vegetarian gourmets, you just need to slightly change the composition towards greater use of vegetables.

The dish can be classified as dietary, and therefore beneficial for the health of our citizens, especially those who are watching their weight or trying to get rid of problems in the gastrointestinal tract (although the dish turns out to be quite filling).

What are the distinctive features of soup

Cream soup Vichyssoise

By tradition, vichyssoise is usually served cold. This is one of the favorite dishes of the French, Americans and other nationalities in the summer. Light, aromatic, with a pleasant creamy taste, it has captivated millions of gourmets around the world.

The delicacy is prepared from potatoes, onions and leeks, cream, cheese and butter. Chicken broth is used as a base. However, “culinary science” does not stand still, and today there are dozens of variations of the traditional composition of vichyssoise soup.

Another feature is the consistency of the dish. The soup should be thick enough for a spoon to stand in it. It’s not called cream soup for nothing. French chefs, by the way, still use this original method to check the consistency of soup.

Calorie content of foods possible in the dish

• Jacket potatoes - 74 kcal/100g
• Fried potatoes - 192 kcal/100g
• Ripe potatoes – 80 kcal/100g
• Boiled potatoes - 82 kcal/100g
• Baked potatoes – 70 kcal/100g
• Mashed potatoes – 380 kcal/100g
• Buttermilk – 36 kcal/100g
• Cream - 300 kcal/100g
• Cream 10% fat - 120 kcal/100g
• Cream 20% fat content - 300 kcal/100g
• Garlic – 143 kcal/100g
• Bay leaf - 313 kcal/100g
• Ground black pepper – 255 kcal/100g
• Unsalted peasant butter – 661 ​​kcal/100g
• Peasant salted butter - 652 kcal/100g
• Unsalted amateur butter – 709 kcal/100g
• Butter 82% – 734 kcal/100g
• Ghee – 869 kcal/100g
• Leek – 33 kcal/100g
• Salt – 0 kcal/100g
• Olive oil – 913 kcal/100g
• Vegetable broth - 13 kcal/100g

Calorie content of foods: Leeks, Potatoes, Garlic, Butter, Olive oil, Vegetable broth, Bay leaf, Cream, Salt, Ground black pepper

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History of the origin of vichyssoise

History of the origin of vichyssoise

The history of the dish says that King Louis XV of France (February 15, 1710 – May 10, 1774) accidentally created the version of today's vichyssoise. The king loved potato soup and ate it quite often for dinner. He was always afraid that someone was trying to poison him. Before he began to eat, a number of employees sampled his food. King Louis's favorite dish was often passed on for tasting from one servant to another. By the time it reached the king, it was already cold. After this, King Louis decided that he preferred potato soup to cold soup.

Another theory places the creator of vichyssoise as chef Louis Diat. (1885-1957). Diat worked at the Ritz hotels in Paris and New York. At that time, he created potato soup, which today is known as Vichyssoise.

He remembered the simple bourgeois onion soup his mother had made when he was a boy growing up in central France. His family added cold milk to cool the soup. After that, he began to prepare the same cold soup, which he called “Vichyssoise Glacce”. He named it after the famous resort located 20 km from his hometown, as a tribute to the exquisite cuisine of the region.

French potato soup vichyssoise

Diat served this soup during the cold season, but did not include it on the menu. A lot of people started asking for it, and in 1923 Diat added it to the restaurant's full menu.

Diat gave an interview to a New York magazine in which he said: “In the summer of 1917, when I had been at the Ritz for almost seven years, I began to think about the soup of my childhood. My mother and grandmother made it. I remembered how in the summer my older brother and I used cold milk to cool it down and how delicious it was. I decided to do something similar for visitors to the Ritz Hotel.”

In the 1940s, during World War II, some patriotic chefs tried to change the name of the dish to “cream Gauloise Glacee” because in 1940 the government collaborated with the Nazis and a camp was established in the French city of Vichy.