Potato, Leek & Sorrel Soup

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I had a very large leek left from my cooking extravaganza on Saturday plus we got spinach and sorrel in our CSA box. I found this soup recipe on the Internet. It was created by Executive Chef Cris Comerford from the White House. It was supposedly served at the President's lunch on the day of his State of the Union address. Regardless of its origins, its a tasty soup.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
1 large leek, or a comparable amount of smaller leeks--use the white and green parts that are clean and not too tough
4 garlic cloves, peeled & chopped
4 shallots, peeled and sliced
2 sprigs thyme or more (I happened to have fresh thyme, but 1/2 tsp. or so of dried thyme leaves would also be fine)
1 bay leaf
4 medium potatoes, sliced
1½ quarts chicken stock
1 bunch sorrel leaves
1 cup spinach, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Cream to finish, either whipping cream or sour cream (optional)
We tried both in separate bowls of soup and they were both good.

1. Melt the butter in a medium soup pot over a medium heat. Sweat the leeks, garlic, shallots and herbs until translucent. Add the potatoes and cook for a few minutes. Pour in the chicken stock and reduce the heat to a simmer for around half an hour.

2. Use an immersion blender and purée until smooth. Add the sorrel and spinach; then pulse the blender a few more times to mix together. Season with salt and pepper to taste. You may add a dollop of cream to finish, if desired.

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