Recipe by Michal Frischman

SERVES 8

• 4 large leeks
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 parsnip, diced
• 1 large zucchini, peeled and diced
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper, or to taste
• 4 cups chicken stock + 2 cups water, if using boxed, or 6 cups homemade chicken stock

Mushroom Topping

• 2 8-oz (225-g) containers mushrooms
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• ¼ cup dry white wine

Clean leeks: Cut off the root and most of the green part of the leeks, so only the white and light green parts remain. Split leeks down the middle and wash well under running water. Transfer to a clean cutting board and slice thinly. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add the parsnip and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook 2 more minutes. Add the leeks and season with salt and pepper. Cook until leeks are softened but still bright green, about 10 minutes. Add chicken stock and water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for 20–30 minutes. Cool and blend.

To make the mushroom topping: Slice and sauté the mushrooms in a frying pan sprayed with cooking spray until browned and no liquid remains. Add soy sauce and wine and deglaze the pan. Cook until liquid is almost completely evaporated, about 5 minutes. Serve over soup.

Reviewed by

Mindy Peltz, Yerushalayim

When it comes to soups, I’m not much of a recipe person. Occasionally I’ll come across a recipe that I can adapt to my liking and add it to my repertoire. When I saw Michal Frischman’s recipe for Leek Soup in the Tishrei 5781 recipe supplement, I decided to give it a try, as I had extra leeks. We had the soup the first night of Succos, and it was one of the most delicious soups I’ve ever served.

Since I wanted the soup to be pareve, I used 2–3 cups vegetable stock, plus water to equal 5 cups, along with a handful of celery and dried parsley and dill.

I used parsley root instead of parsnip, since parsnips are hard to come by in Israel.

I prepared the soup as directed, adding the herbs along with the stock and water. Even without the mushroom topping, the soup had ta’am Gan Eden!

(Originally featured in Family Table, Issue 766)