The ingredients for this soup and their amounts will produce a soup that is fairly balanced with the flavors of both the leek and the potato; however, they can easily be adjusted to your tastes. For example, if you want a soup that has a stronger leek flavor, feel free to add more leeks.

To prepare the leeks, cut off the root end and discard. Then cut off the dark green part (wash it and save it for making stock). For the white and light green part, cut in half lengthwise and then cut across into fairly thin strips.

For the potatoes, try to find types that are high in starch such as russets or Burbank potatoes. Peel, quarter the potatoes lengthwise and finely slice. Do not rinse the potatoes, as the starch will help to thicken the soup.

In a large pot or saucepan, add the butter and melt over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the onions and a good pinch of salt and sweat for about 5 minutes until they start to soften. Make sure the onions do not take on any color.

Next, add the garlic and cook for another minute or so. Add the leeks and another pinch of salt and stir. Cover with a lid and let sweat over medium heat for about 5 to 7 minutes or until the leeks soften. Stir occasionally.

Meanwhile, heat up the stock from the following step.

Once the leeks have softened, add the potatoes and stir to combine.

Next, add approximately 3 cups of hot stock just to cover the ingredients, adding more if necessary, just to cover. It is better to add less stock than too much, as you can always add more at the end to thin down the soup.

For the stock, use a good vegetable stock or use this Faux Chicken Bouillon Powder to make a quick stock.

Bring the soup to a simmer. Cover and let cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes or just until the potatoes have cooked through. If the potatoes are overcooked, they will start to break down, which will make the soup grainy.

Once the potatoes and leeks are tender, take the soup off of the heat.

Next, carefully purée the soup, using only one or two ladles at a time. Place a clean cloth over the lid to prevent the lid from popping off and the hot soup from burning you.

For velvety-smooth soup, strain the soup through a fine sieve. This may seem like an unnecessary step, but it is worth it if you want an extremely smooth texture. Press out the solids, using the back of a ladle or spatula.

Once done, transfer the soup back into a pot. Adjust the consistency to your liking. If you need to thin the soup out, you can add a bit more hot stock and/or Cashew Cream, if desired.

To serve the soup, be sure it is nice and hot and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Lastly, garnish the soup with some finely chopped chives and an extra dollop of Cashew Cream. The soup also happens to go extremely well with this Irish Soda Bread.