French · Authentic-ish French
Vichyssoise
187 kcal a serving, against 376 for the traditional version. That is 189 kcal off, or 50%, with 9.6g of protein. Serves 6. 1 hour, plus 4 hours chilling.
What the traditional version is
Equal weights of starchy potatoes and pale leeks, sweated slowly in a large block of butter until completely soft but not browned. It gets simmered in chicken stock, blended into a puree, and then enriched with a massive pour of double cream. It is served fridge-cold, relying entirely on the butterfat and cream to provide a silky, luxurious texture.
What changed, and what each change costs
50g of butter down to nothing
Sweating leeks in butter gives them a rich, sweet flavour, but a splash of water and a tight lid does exactly the same job of softening them without adding a block of fat to the pan.
What it costs you. You lose that nutty, buttery undertone that coats the spoon. You can't replicate that rich mouthfeel with water, and the leeks lose a tiny bit of their savoury depth.
250g of double cream swapped for 150g of fat-free Greek yoghurt
Cream provides body and a pure white colour. Fat-free Greek yoghurt brings a sharp tang that cuts through the starchy potato and lifts the whole bowl, while keeping the soup pale and thick.
What it costs you. Yoghurt is chalkier than cream. The soup loses its velvet finish and picks up a distinct sourness. I actually prefer the tang, but traditionalists will definitely complain.
Shifting the ratio to 600g leeks and 400g potatoes
Without the double cream, a standard potato-heavy base tastes a bit dull. More leeks bring a sharper, fresher vegetable flavour to the front.
What it costs you. The soup is slightly thinner. Potatoes are the heavy lifters for texture, so reducing them makes the final puree a bit looser. You'll notice it lacks that heavy, pudding-like consistency.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 376 | 187 |
| Protein | 8.4g | 9.6g |
| Fat | 24.1g | 2.5g |
| Saturated fat | 14.4g | 0.6g |
| Carbohydrate | 33.4g | 32.6g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 2.2g | 5.1g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish French prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. milk, celery.
The method is in the book
So: a sharp, refreshing summer lunch. A rich, heavy classic was never on the table once the fat came out. The tang of the yoghurt works brilliantly with the sweet leeks, and you can eat a massive bowl of it without feeling completely weighed down. I miss the glossy finish of the double cream, but the trade is entirely worth it for a soup you can eat every day.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish French, along with 54 more. Buy the paperback