One Of Julia Child's Favorite Dishes Is Perfect For Cooling Down This Summer

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Julia Child's all-time favorite foods run the gamut from fancy mushroom risotto to simple goldfish crackers, either of which can be enjoyed year-round. However, one of her favorite meals — a cold soup made of leek and potato, known as vichyssoise — is perfect for cooling down in the summer due to its chilled temperature and creamy character.

Take a look at any vichyssoise recipe and you'll note that it's made with minimal ingredients: potatoes, leeks, chicken broth, and cream (or milk). In Child's recipe, detailed in her book "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," the vegetables are simmered in the broth until tender before being blended by a food processor for a silky smooth texture. After seasoning with salt and white pepper, the cream is stirred into the soup to lend it a creamy, unctuous quality and richness. Once chilled, the top of the soup is garnished with a scattering of freshly chopped chives for aroma and color. Cold soups like vichyssoise and gazpacho have a refreshing and cooling quality when enjoyed in the summer. Better yet, they can be prepared and refrigerated in advance in large batches, saving you from cooking daily in a sweltering kitchen.

As vichyssoise is made with few ingredients, it's vital that they're prepared properly to guarantee that the natural flavor of each vegetable can shine through unhindered. The best way to clean leeks for a vichyssoise is to slit them lengthwise into quarters and fan them open under running water to get rid of any grit hidden in the folds. The potatoes should also be peeled and washed to ensure the soup has an ultra-smooth consistency that isn't grainy or textured.

Child also mentions that vichyssoise should be over-salted. As the soup cools, the salt loses its savor and intensity. Some vichyssoise recipes use sautéed white onions instead of leeks to break them down faster and lend the soup a buttery flavor. Others partially substitute the cream for sour cream or crème fraîche, which both imbue the cold soup with a welcome tang. Herbs, like tarragon, thyme, and oregano, can be used instead of chives to give the soup a fragrant aroma and depth.