Lobster and Leak Vichyssoise
This is one for those special occasions when you want something a little more extravagant and unique than soup from a tin, or your tried and true standbys like chicken noodle. Traditionally vichyssoise is a cold soup, but you can serve it warm by all means if you prefer.
I’ve adapted this from a recipe I came across on a website about lobsters, to make it more IC friendly than the original. (Hands up if you do this with recipes too!)
By all means skip the white wine Worcestershire sauce if you think that it will bother you, or if it’s not something you an easily get a hold off, it really doesn’t make a difference. I like fresh, crisp young leaks if you can get them, but any fresh leak (as opposed to frozen) works well. If you happened to have some around, I would imagine that a light fish stock would work wonders here too instead of the chicken stock.
Please note however that those ICers who follow a low oxalte diet may want to skip this recipe, or replace the leeks with white onions, as leeks are quite high in oxalates.
Serve this with mountains of crunchy, crisp bread and be prepared to see people literally licking their bowls clean.
Lobster and Leak Vichyssoise
1.5 cups pre-cooked lobster meat cut into bite sized pieces (this means the real stuff, non of the fake imitation “lobster” or “crab” meat)
4 cups peeled & cubed potatoes (in about ½ inch little cubes)
2 cups washed and dried finely chopped leeks (green and white parts)
4 tbsp finely chopped green (spring) onions
5 cups chicken stock (preferably organic and/or homemade)
2 ½ cups all-purpose cream
1 tsp of fresh thyme leaves striped from their stems
about ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
¼ tsp white wine Worcestershire sauce (optional)
½ tsp lemon pepper (optional, if pepper or lemon pepper bothers your IC or vulvodynia simply omit it)
salt to taste (optional, you shouldn’t really need much as this dish provides its own natural saltiness)
In a good-sized stock bring the stock to a gentle boil. All at once add the potatoes, leeks, thyme, pepper and Worcestershire sauce (if using). Allow to come back to the boil, then cover and simmer for at least one hour over low to medium-low heat, stirring often.
Remove the stockpot from the heat and remove one cup worth of liquid. In a blender, food processor or with a hand held blender puree the rest of the stock and ingredients. Next add the cream, then taste to see if you would like to add in any extra salt. Lastly add in the pre-cooked lobster meat.
Transfer the pureed soup to an airtight container and place in the fridge for several hours to thoroughly chill it. Serve in chilled soup bowls, and top each bowl with some finely sliced fresh parsley and scallions
Serves 4