Finely slice the onion and emince the garlic. Set aside.

To prepare the leeks, cut off the root end and discard. Then cut off the dark green part (wash it and save it for making stock). For the white and light green part, cut in half lengthwise and then cut across into fairly thin strips.

*Note: 5 large leeks should weigh about 2 1/4 lbs or 1 kg. Once cleaned and sliced, you should have about 700 to 800 grams of leeks (or 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 lbs).

Next, rinse the leeks really well to remove any dirt and/or sand. Then spin dry in a salad spinner to remove the excess water. Set aside.

In a large pot or saucepan, add the butter and melt over medium heat.

Once the butter has melted, add the onions and sweat for about 5 minutes until they start to soften. Make sure the onions do not take on any color.

Next, add the garlic and cook for another minute or so. Add the leeks and salt and stir. Cover with a lid and let sweat over medium heat for about 8 minutes or until the leeks soften. Stir occasionally.

Meanwhile, you can go ahead and prepare the potatoes. You may also want to heat up the stock from Step 5.

For the potatoes, try to find types that are high in starch such as russets or Burbank potatoes.

Peel, quarter the potatoes lengthwise and finely slice. Once done, you should have about 300 to 350 grams (10 to 12 ounces).

Do not rinse the potatoes, as the starch will help to thicken the soup.

Once the leeks have softened, add the potatoes and stir to combine.

Next, add approximately 3 cups of hot stock just to cover the ingredients, adding more if necessary, just to cover. It is better to add less stock than too much, as you can always add more at the end to thin down the soup.

Bring the soup to a simmer. Cover and let cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes or just until the potatoes have cooked through. If the potatoes are over cooked, they will start to break down, which will make the soup grainy.

Once the potatoes and leeks are tender, take the soup off of the heat.

Next, carefully puree the soup, using only one or two ladles at a time. Place a clean cloth over the lid to prevent the lid from popping off and the hot soup from burning you. DO NOT walk away with the blender running. Puree the soup on high for at least 1 minute per batch.

For a velvety smooth soup, strain the soup through a fine sieve. This may seem like an unnecessary step, but it is worth it if you want a very smooth texture. Press out the solids, using the back of a ladle or spatula.

Once done, transfer the soup back into a pot. Adjust the consistency to your liking. If you need to thin the soup out, you can add a bit more hot stock and/or Cashew Cream, if desired.

To serve the soup, reheat it slightly to ensure it is nice and hot. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning as needed. For this soup, you can use white pepper so it doesn’t look like there are little black flecks throughout.

Garnish the soup with some finely chopped chives. You may be tempted to skip the chives, but they really do add a nice touch. You may also want to finish with a dollop of Cashew Sour Cream.