A leek & mushroom soup to take you from holiday overload to vegetable bliss

My hunger is insatiable even after Thanksgiving. Sure, maybe a little less than normal, but it’s still there for sure. It’s a big reason why I’m sharing another recipe this weekend — the weekend just-post Thanksgiving — because I’m still eating! And I’m betting that you are, too. I acknowledge that some don’t celebrate the holiday and also that some may have gone hungry this holiday. However, my truth is that it’s been one of the more indulgent weeks of the year.

It all makes me want to see some sort of light. Not literally light, but a lighter, more vegetable-centric few days of eating. And maybe slightly spicier food too, because Thanksgiving is usually all about finding comfort in soothing flavors and not tingling the palate. That light is probably served in a bowl with a spoon. This may sound like soup, and you’re right. That’s exactly what I’ll be making.

More often than not the fridge right now is a chaotic mix of vegetables left over from the holiday grocery shopping. There’s definitely extra celery and leeks from that second stuffing we overbought for; there’s mushrooms meant for… something; and scores of halfravaged herb bunches like thyme and rosemary because they are in everything this time of year. With a few other ingredients, I see a soup coming together.

First I take those mushrooms (meaty crimini work great here, but a mix of your favorites work, too) and cut them into easily spoonable slices to roast until caramelized with crisp edges; thyme is definitely involved. Those leeks and the celery? I just chop them up as I see fit. If I slice them thinly into celery boomerangs and leek rings, that’s great too — either way, I’m sauteeing them in a heavy-handed dose of garlic, lemon peel, more thyme, and butter for good measure. It’ll become a base for a soup that’s sort of silky-textured because as leeks cook down they become leek-xurious.

Then with just a little leftover rich turkey (or chicken or vegetable) broth, some wine, chopped hearty greens (or even leftover salad greens like arugula) and those roasted mushrooms, the light has arrived. I fold in a few dollops of rich and tangy sour cream. I also like to fold into the cream a little bit of whole grain mustard, which reminds me a little of a favorite leek dish, the French leeks vinaigrette.

This soup has leek and potato soup vibes, without the potatoes. It doesn’t really miss or need them here, however, because the mushrooms are hearty enough. It also reminds me of French onion soup, but with leeks and way lighter without the beefy broth and cheesy toasted bread. However, I’d recommend this recipe with crusty bread or even a square of freshly baked puff pastry topping if you have any extra dough in your freezer.

At the end of the day, this could be a sort of post-holiday indulgence detox soup. (I acknowledge that some of you might not have overindulged this holiday; I’m sorry to hear that and I cannot relate.) But this soup is also basically just an almost-winter leek soup that’s very good and will definitely, if momentarily, quell your insatiable appetite, too.

Christian Reynoso / Special to The Chronicle This soup makes good use of left-over Thanksgiving produce that might be hiding in your refrigerator such as leeks, mushrooms and herbs.