Part of the canon of quintessential healthy recipes, potato leek soup will cure whatever ails you, hands down. It’s rich, creamy, and vegetarian, unless you cover the top with a pile of cooked, chopped bacon (which I highly recommend). When I’m not feeling well – like today – I can’t think of a better, more comforting dish. I sometimes wish I could take a bath in the stuff. (TMI? Sorry/not sorry.)
I still feel like hell, so soup it is. Again. I modified pilfered this recipe from Emeril Lagasse, because you can’t argue with a good recipe. This one gets me every time – how can you go wrong with bacon?
One of these days I’ll get around to developing my own recipe for potato leek soup, but it’s not going to be today.
Yes, Another Potato Leek Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 large leeks or 2 small, about 1 pound
- 2 whole bay leaves
- 20 whole black peppercorns
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 strips bacon chopped
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 5 cups chicken stock
- 1 to 1 1/4 pounds russet potatoes diced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 3/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup creme fraiche or heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons snipped chives
Instructions
- Trim the green portions of the leek and, using 2 of the largest and longest leaves, make a bouquet garni by folding the 2 leaves around the bay leaves, peppercorns and thyme. Tie into a package-shaped bundle with kitchen twine and set aside. (Alternately, tie 2 leek leaves, bay leaves, peppercorns and thyme together in a piece of cheesecloth.)
- Using a sharp knife, halve the white part of the leek lengthwise and rinse well under cold running water to rid the leek of any sand. Slice thinly crosswise and set aside.
- In a large soup pot over medium heat, melt the butter and add the bacon. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is very soft and has rendered most of its fat. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and save for later.
- Add the chopped leeks to the bacon fat and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Add the reserved bouquet garni, chicken stock, potatoes, salt and white pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are falling apart and the soup is very flavorful.
- Remove the bouquet garni and, working in batches, puree the soup in a food processor or blender. (Alternately, if you own an immersion blender, puree the soup directly in the pot.) Stir in the creme fraiche and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Serve immediately, with snipped chives sprinkled and cooked bacon sprinkled over the top of each bowl.
Nutrition
This content was originally posted on FearlessFresh.com.