History has it that King Louis XV of France accidentally invented vichyssoise. The paranoid King loved his comforting potato soup and had it for dinner quite often. Constantly nervous that someone was trying to poison him, King Louis demanded that a number of servants taste his food before he ate it. King Louis’ favorite recipe for potato soup was often passed from one servant to another. By the time it finally reached the King, it was cold. King Louis decided he preferred potato soup cold. And that is how the French came to eat their vichyssoise cold.
In 1950 New Yorker Magazine published an article that Louis Diat the chef at the Ritz Carlton in New York for most of the first half of the 20th century might have been the innovator . He reflected that he created a this recipe to pay homage to a potato soup his mother and grandmother made, and he used to cool down with cold milk.
The same article explains that the soup was first titled crème vichyssoise glacée, then, after the restaurant's menu changed from French to English in 1930 Diat named his invention after Vichy, a town not far from his home town of Montmarault.
What ever the case may be this a delicious soup and it can be brought into the 21st century with a few simple modifications.
Arugula Vichyssoise
- 3/4 cup finely chopped white and pale green part of leek, washed well (about 1 leek)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 1 small russet (baking) potato, peeled, grated coarse (about 3/4 cup), and reserved in water to cover
- 2 cups low-salt chicken broth
- 2 cups packed arugula, washed well and spun dry
- 3 tablespoons half-and-half or heavy cream
Directions:
- In a small heavy saucepan cook the leek with salt and pepper to taste in the oil
- add the garlic, the potato, drained, and the broth, and simmer the mixture, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes,
- Stir in the arugula, simmer the mixture, covered, for 1 minute, and in a blender purée it in batches for 2 minutes, or until it is completely smooth.
- Stir in the half-and half, and chill the soup, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until it is cold.
Potato Crusted Fish with Vichyssoise Sauce serves 4
- 2 cups pre-made vichyssoise
- 4 fillets whitefish like sole, tilapia, flounder
- flour as needed
- 1 cup milk
- 1 box Hungry Jack potato flakes
- oil for frying
Directions:
- Dip the fish fillets in flour
- Then dip into milk
- Place the potato flakes in a large plate or rectangular dish and pack the flakes onto the fish
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat
- Pan fry the potato crusted fillets for 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned and cooked through.
- Remove and served with your choice of warm or cold vichyssoise "sauce"
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