Creamy Tomato-Potato Soup

Cooler fall weather always brings about a shift in our cooking habits. We've been enjoying soups and breads, and this soup was perfect for a rainy fall evening. It was good following the recipe, but uplifted to fantastic with the addition of some sage and thyme. This is modified from a recipe in Mark Bittman's The Best Recipes in the World

Creamy Tomato-Potato Soup

3 tbsp olive oil or butter
3 leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced and well rinsed
1 small onion, sliced
3 medium tomatoes, peeled (drained canned are okay)
Approximately 1 pound potatoes, russet or another non-waxy type, peeled and diced
Salt and pepper to taste
5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup cream or half and half, plus more as needed
5-6 fresh sage leaves (in bouquet garni)
4-5 sprigs fresh thyme (in bouquet garni)

1. Heat oil or butter in large saucepan over medium-low heat. When hot, add leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Do not brown the leeks. Seed tomatoes and chop pulp.

2. Stir in the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add potatoes, salt, pepper, sage, thyme, and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.

3. Remove sage and thyme. Using food mill, inversion blender, or regular blender, puree mixture until smooth. If there is more than your blender can handle, work in batches. This is easier if the soup is cooled before blending, but it's not necessary to cool it. Reheat soup. Stir in cream and additional salt and pepper to taste. If the soup is too thick, thin with cream and water.