Chilled Vichyssoise with Caviar

By Beleaev Family | Beleaev Caviar & Gourmet

Serve 880ml of this chilled vichyssoise as four 220ml starter bowls; keep any extra soup separate. Each receives 20g of crème fraîche and 5g of Oscietra Royal Caviar, so one 20g tin is divided evenly across the table.

Soup quantities

The planned final volume is about 880ml after blending and adjustment. Measure it before portioning, because evaporation and potato size can change the yield.

Equipment for a smooth chilled soup

• Large saucepan with lid
• Chopping board and chef's knife
• Stick blender or jug blender rated for hot liquids
• Fine sieve, ladle and measuring jug
• Wide container for cooling and four chilled bowls
• Digital scale and non-metal caviar spoon

Cook and chill the vichyssoise

1. Clean the leeks thoroughly. Split them lengthways, rinse between the layers and slice thinly. Cut the potato into even 2cm pieces.
2. Soften without browning. Melt the butter in the saucepan, add the leeks and cover. Cook gently until they are soft, stirring to prevent colour.
3. Simmer the potato. Add the potato and 700ml stock. Bring to a controlled simmer and cook until a knife passes through the potato pieces without resistance.
4. Blend safely. Follow the blender's hot-liquid limit. Process until smooth, pass through the sieve and stir in 150ml milk and the pepper.
5. Measure and cool. Check the volume. If it exceeds 880ml, reserve the surplus rather than overfilling the bowls. Transfer the soup to a wide container and cool it promptly under suitable food-safety practice before chilling.
6. Finish four cold bowls. Stir the chilled soup, adjust its spoonable consistency with a measured amount of cold milk if required, then portion 220ml into each bowl. Add 20g crème fraîche and 5g Oscietra to each; finish with chives.

Measure consistency after chilling

Potato thickens the soup as it cools. Check the final cold volume before portioning; add the milk gradually if needed for a pourable texture. Divide the finished soup evenly between four bowls, rather than assuming its warm and cold volumes are identical.

Vichyssoise troubleshooting

• Grit remains after blending: improve the leek wash and pass the soup through the fine sieve before chilling.
• The soup turns gluey: stop blending as soon as it is smooth and avoid prolonged high-speed processing of the potato.
• The cold soup is too thick: add cold milk in 15ml steps, recording the total so the four bowls stay equal.
• The garnish sinks: check that the soup is cold and sufficiently spoonable, then place crème fraîche before caviar.

Allergens and chilled-storage boundary

Fish and milk are present. Stock can introduce celery, gluten or other allergens, so read its exact label together with the caviar and dairy packs. Use suitable rapid-cooling and refrigeration practice for the cooked soup. Keep caviar chilled under its own instructions and open it only at service. No universal make-ahead or leftover period is claimed for the soup, crème fraîche or opened caviar.

Serving from a larger batch

The vegetables and liquid may produce more soup than the 880ml served here. Measure the finished, chilled soup and set aside four 220ml portions; any surplus stays plain and separate from the caviar. The 20g tin and 80g crème fraîche are allocated only to those four bowls.

For a thinner texture, add milk in small amounts before measuring the service portion. Do not blend potato for longer than necessary: prolonged processing can make the soup sticky. A small smoked-salmon ribbon or a little dill oil is an optional extra, rather than part of the measured base recipe.

Frequently asked questions

Must vichyssoise be ice-cold?

This version is served chilled. Stir it after refrigeration and check that it pours before filling the bowls. Keep the caviar cold until the bowls are ready.

Can I use vegetable stock?

Yes. Check its salt and allergen information. A vegetable-stock base still contains fish when topped with caviar.

For another chilled starter, make pea soup with caviar.

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