Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 150 g leek, white and light green parts only, sliced and washed thoroughly
- 10 g garlic, minced
Soup Body
- 400 g yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
- 1000 ml turkey stock
Finish and Seasoning
- 150 g butter lettuce, roughly chopped
- 30 ml heavy cream
- 5 g kosher salt
- 1 g white pepper, finely ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 213 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbohydrates
- 23 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 1605 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 6 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 25 mg
- Potassium
- 3855 mg
- Calcium
- 825 mg
- Iron
- 19.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 39 mg
- Phosphorus
- 72 mg
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 191 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 18 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 39 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.05 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.08 mg
- Niacin
- 1.2 mg
- Folate
- 45 mcg
- Water
- 126 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Melt the unsalted butter in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the sliced leeks and cook gently until softened and translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Do not let them brown.
Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the cubed potatoes and turkey stock. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, which should reach approximately 100C or 212F.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer until the potatoes are completely tender and yield easily when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the roughly chopped butter lettuce, allowing the residual heat of the broth to wilt it. This should only take 1 to 2 minutes to preserve its bright green color.
Using an immersion blender, puree the soup directly in the pot until completely smooth and velvety. If using a standard blender, work in batches and exercise caution with the hot liquid.
Stir in the heavy cream if using. Season the soup with kosher salt and white pepper, tasting and adjusting until the flavors are balanced. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Butter lettuce provides a superior sweet, mild flavor compared to iceberg or romaine. Do not overcook the lettuce, as it will lose its vibrant green color and turn bitter.
- Using homemade leftover Thanksgiving turkey stock elevates the dish immensely, adding a gelatinous richness and mouthfeel that boxed broths lack.
- White pepper is preferred here to maintain the pristine, elegant color of the soup, though black pepper works perfectly fine if aesthetics are secondary.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Color may dull slightly upon reheating due to the delicate nature of the lettuce.
Freezer: 1 month — Texture may become slightly grainy due to the potatoes. Whisk vigorously while reheating.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Do not bring to a rolling boil to preserve the delicate lettuce flavor.
Troubleshooting
Soup is too thin and watery
Cause: Potatoes lacked sufficient starch, or too much stock was used relative to the vegetables.
Fix: Simmer the pureed soup gently uncovered for 10 minutes to reduce, or mash a small amount of instant potato flakes into the hot liquid.
Prevention: Weigh the potatoes accurately and use a starchy or all-purpose variety like Yukon Gold.
Soup tastes bitter or has a dull olive color
Cause: The lettuce was boiled or simmered for too long.
Fix: Cannot be fixed, but stirring in a splash of heavy cream can help mask slight bitterness.
Prevention: Always add the lettuce off the heat at the very end of the cooking process.
Cultural Context
While putting lettuce in soup might seem unusual in modern American home cooking, Potage a la Laitue is a classic French culinary preparation. Adapting this historic technique to utilize Thanksgiving leftovers, like rich roasted turkey stock, creates a beautifully sustainable and elegant bridge between holiday excess and refined, lighter dining.
