Ingredients
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1/4 cup butter
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1 cup finely sliced leeks (white and light green parts only)
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1 cup finely chopped celery
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1/2 cup peeled and finely chopped shallots
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455 grams Yukon Gold potatoes, skin on, chopped in 6 millimeter cubes
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1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill
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1 teaspoon lemon zest
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1 cup full-fat cream cheese
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5 cups chicken stock
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115 grams smoked salmon, chopped into chunks
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Salt and pepper, plus sea salt for sprinkling
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1 plain bagel, very thinly sliced
Directions
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, melt two tablespoons butter.
- Add the leeks, celery, and shallots and cook until they begin to soften and are translucent, about ten minutes.
- Add the potatoes and dill and continue to cook, stirring often, for another ten to 15 minutes. Adjust the heat to avoid the shallots browning.
- Add the lemon zest and cream cheese and stir to combine. You don’t want any lumps of cream cheese, just a smooth, even coating across all the vegetables.
- Add the chicken stock and stir to combine. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow it to simmer for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are soft and fully cooked.
- Use a large liquid measuring cup to scoop up half the soup mixture and transfer it to a blender to puree (I like to blend only half the soup so that some chunks of potato and bits of leek and celery remain for that chowder effect).
- Return the puree to the pot and stir to combine. Add the chopped smoked salmon, have a taste, and season with salt and pepper if you feel it needs it.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Melt the remaining butter in the microwave and use a pastry brush to lightly coat one side of each slice of bagel, then sprinkle with a little sea salt.
- Spread the bagel slices, buttered side up, across a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake in the oven for ten to 12 minutes, until lightly browned and very crunchy.
- Top each bowl of soup with some of the bagel chips and serve.
- Store, covered, in the refrigerator for two days. Freezing isn’t really an option because of the cream cheese, so eat it all up!
