Ingredients

• Peanut oil
• 1/3 cup chopped leeks, white part only
• 1/3 cup chopped celery
• 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 1/4 cups chicken broth, plus extra if needed to thin the soup
• 1/2 cup crumbled, day-old cornbread, plus extra for garnish
• 1 cup whole buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Procedure

1. Set a medium soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, and add enough peanut oil to coat the bottom.
2. Add the leeks and celery, and reduce the heat to medium-low; sweat, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables become lightly translucent without coloring.
3. Add the garlic and cook for another minute; then add the chicken broth and cornbread. Bring to a low simmer, and let simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
4. Stir the buttermilk and heavy cream together in a large bowl. Very slowly add the hot soup to the milk mixture, stirring constantly, almost drizzling the soup in.
5. Puree the soup in a blender or with an immersion blender until smooth.
6. Taste, and season with salt and pepper as needed. If the soup is too thick for your liking, add a touch of extra chicken broth.
7. Return the soup to the pot and heat it very gently over low heat until it is hot.
8. Serve with a little crumbled cornbread on top as a garnish.

Cook’s Note

• To reheat any leftover soup, be sure to rewarm it slowly over low heat to prevent the buttermilk from separating. It’s also quite delicious served chilled.