A Foray Into Julia Child

Originally written on February 13, 2010**:

Tonight I decided to try my hand at creating a Julia Child classic: Potage Parmentier. Nice enough, but I have two teenage sons, and Mrs. Child evidently did not when perfecting this recipe. Teen boys means you need meat, so I settled on chicken.

I made a few adjustments, and the family loved it. Those teen boys both had second helpings, a silent approval as they are very picky eaters. The rest of the family (my husband, a pre-schooler, a tween girl, and a teen girl) also enjoyed the meal. For those of you willing to corrupt classic recipes or just like to try new things, here's my own take on this recipe:

A Fearless Chick's Potato Soup (makes approximately 8 servings)

Ingredients

• 3 cups leeks, thinly sliced (white and tender green parts only)
• 3 tablespoons Smart Choice 60% spread
• 5 breasts of chicken, boneless, skinless, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 lb potatoes, peeled and diced
• 4 quarts water
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup fat-free half-n-half

Directions

1. Melt butter in large 4-quart pot over medium-low heat. When melted, add leeks and cook until caramelized.
2. Remove leeks to a separate dish.
3. Add chicken to the pot, and brown on all sides.
4. Fill the pot with the 4 quarts of water, and bring to a boil and cook until chicken is done. Remove chicken to a separate dish.
5. Return leeks to the chicken stock, and add potatoes with seasonings. Simmer, partially covered, for about 20-30 minutes until vegetables are tender.
6. Remove from heat, and mash the vegetables with the liquid (alternatively, you could puree this in the blender - not an option with teen boys who like to see food of substance).
7. Add chicken, half-n-half and additional seasonings to taste. Heat on medium-low until chicken is warmed.
8. Pour into bowls, and garnish with parsley if desired.

In the words of Julia Child - bon appetit! Let me know how you like it.

**This originally appeared on my other website - The Fearless Stepmom. I am moving it here as I am in the process of organizing the two websites and their content.