rosemary and tarragon roasted potato leek soup

Rosemary & Tarragon Roasted Potato Leek Soup
2 large Leeks, washed and trimmed
2 Large Potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 large Sweet Onion, chopped
3 cups Vegetable Stock
1/2 tsp Dried Tarragon (or 1 tsp fresh)
3 fresh Rosemary Sprigs
2 tbsp Olive Oil
Sea Salt & Pepper, to taste
2 tbsp Chives (optional)
4 fresh Lemon Wedges (optional)

*Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. to roast potatoes. (a toaster oven works okay in a pinch)

Drizzle one half of the potato cubes with 1 tbsp of the olive oil and toss to coat. Place on baking sheet and snuggle in the three rosemary sprigs, evenly spaced. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and pepper, roast in oven for 15 minutes or until spuds are golden brown.
You may need to toss potatoes once during cooking, but wait until they come up easily with a spatula without sticking, toward the end of cooking time. Once potatoes are done, remove from oven and set aside to cool. Now you can begin the soup preparation.
After washing, cut leeks in half, lengthwise and slice thin, about 1/4 inch thick. Heat the second tbsp of olive oil in a large pot with lid and saute onion until soft. Add veg stock, other half of potatoes, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add leeks, tarragon, salt and pepper if desired and simmer 10 minutes until leeks are soft. Do a quick mash of vegetables and stir soup or use blender method below.
Remove one or two cups of soup and blend until smooth in a blender or food processor. Add blended soup back into soup pot and stir to combine. This process is optional but I love it because it makes the soup nice and creamy but still allows for some whole vegetables texture. Add water if needed to create the balance/consistency you prefer.
Lastly, discard the rosemary sprigs and add the roasted potatoes into soup and stir to incorporate.
Serve hot and garnish soup with additional chopped fresh herbs and/or lemon wedges on the side, as desired.
This soup is amazing even if you completely skip the roasting potatoes step and simply float a single sprig of rosemary in the soup for the last 10 minutes cooking time. If you do roast the potatoes, trust me when I say the extra effort is totally worth it! The flavor and texture are divine!