Is it Spring yet?

Springtime in Chicago is not really winter, but it's not really spring either. Everything gets green and the flowers come up, but the nighttime temps still drop into the low 40s, especially here by the lake. So a good sturdy soup is in order, hence this totally made-up recipe for some real stick-to-your-ribs goodness.

Potato-Leek soup with Feta cheese

1 medium leek for each 2 servings
1 medium-sized potato for each serving
vegetable or chicken stock
parsley
feta cheese


Cut the greens off the leeks and skin the potatoes. (Place the peeled potatoes in cold water to keep them from going brown) Boil these with some sea salt and peppercorns in 2-3 cups of water to make stock.

Cut up and boil the potatoes until soft. Dice and saute the leeks in 2 tablespoons of butter, until golden, add the stock. Drain the potatoes and add to the leeks and stock. Cream this using an immersible blender; thin with more stock or with half-and-half. Add fresh or dried parsley, salt and pepper to taste.

Ladel into bowls and garnish with crumbled feta cheese.

A nice side salad completes this. Nora makes one with garbanzos, grape tomatoes, sliced cucumber and a sesame-balsamic dressing.