Porrusalda Vasca

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy 4 litre pot or olla
• •Sharp small knife for cracking potatoes
• •Colander for washing leeks
• •Ladle

Instructions

1. 1

   Clean the leeks

   Trim away the tough dark leek tops and keep the white and tender pale green parts. Split them lengthwise, rinse between the layers where the grit hides, then slice them 2cm thick. Porrusalda is leek broth before it is anything else, so don't let dirt be the thing you taste.

   Save the dark leek tops for stock if they are fresh and not dry. They are too tough for the soup itself.
2. 2

   Sweat the base

   Warm the 60ml olive oil in a heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion, leeks, carrots, garlic, bay leaf, and 3g salt if using bacalao, or all 5g salt if cooking it without fish. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the leeks have collapsed, turned glossy, and smell sweet. Keep them pale. If the edges brown, lower the heat.

3. 3

   Break the potatoes

   To crack the potatoes, push the knife halfway into each piece and twist so the potato snaps apart into rough 3cm chunks. Add them to the pot and turn them through the oil for 2 minutes. Those broken edges are not untidy; they are the thickener. Neat cubes stay neat and leave the broth thinner.

   Use an all-purpose potato, not a very waxy salad potato. Yukon Gold works well far from Spain; the broth will be a little less cloudy than with Kennebec, but it will still behave.
4. 4

   Simmer gently

   Pour in the 1.3L water or very light unsalted fish stock. Bring it just to a simmer, then lower the heat and cook uncovered for 22 to 28 minutes, until the potatoes are tender at the center and their edges have softened into the broth. Shake the pot once or twice instead of stirring hard. A few potatoes breaking at the edges is right; a pot of mashed potato is not.

5. 5

   Add the bacalao

   If using bacalao, nestle the pieces into the soup for the last 5 to 7 minutes, just until the fish turns opaque and separates into large flakes. Do not boil it hard or it tightens. If using fresh cod instead, season it lightly and add it the same way, knowing the broth will be gentler and will need a final pinch of salt.

6. 6

   Rest and serve

   Take out the bay leaf and let the pot rest off the heat for 10 minutes. Taste for salt only after the bacalao has given what it has to the broth. Ladle into deep bowls with leek, potato, carrot, and a few flakes of cod in each one, then finish with a thin thread of olive oil. The soup should be loose enough to spoon, with a soft body from the broken potatoes.

Chef Tips

• •Buy leeks with firm white shafts and fresh pale green tops. If the outer layers are dry or woody, peel them away without regret; the dish depends on the sweet part of the leek.
• •Bacalao is optional, but it is a good option. Buy it already desalted if you can. If you only find fresh cod or hake, add it at the end and salt the broth yourself; it will be milder, not worse.
• •Do not add chorizo, bacon, cream, or pimentón. They make a different pot and cover the leek. Porrusalda is quiet food, and quiet does not mean weak.
• •Leftovers keep well for 2 days in the refrigerator. Reheat gently and add a splash of water if the potatoes have thickened the broth too much.
• •A glass of txakoli or Basque sidra suits the bacalao version. For the plain vegetable pot, bread and a sharp sheep's milk cheese are enough.

Advance Preparation

• •If starting with dry bacalao, soak it in cold water in the refrigerator for 24 to 36 hours, changing the water every 8 hours. Before using, cook a tiny flake in simmering water and taste; it should be seasoned, not harshly salty.
• •The leeks can be trimmed, washed, and sliced 1 day ahead. Keep them covered in the refrigerator.
• •For make-ahead soup, cook the vegetables and potatoes up to 1 day ahead, then add the bacalao only when reheating so the fish stays tender.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 750g)