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Adventures in the kitchen: Potato, bacon and leek soup

Bacon, potato and leek soup

Have I said this before? I could live off potatoes. So filling, so versatile, so cheap.

While most of you are enjoying the yield to warmer weather, things are cooling down here.

So Cate’s leek soup was calling my name, and with the addition of some leftover bacon and bacon bones and some other tweaks, it blew my mind.

Ingredients for my version:
One leek
Two potatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp unsalted butter (can omit for a vegan soup)
3 cups stock
Freshly-ground black pepper
1/4 cup heavy cream (can omit for a vegan soup)

Directions:
Slice leeks into rings and dice potatoes finely.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pot and cook leeks over medium heat until they are soft.

Add the potatoes and stock. Simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Stir in the cream before serving and season as needed. If you’re making this with the bacon, I doubt you’ll need salt; but if you’re skipping it, then sea salt to your heart’s content. Serves two.

Frugal factor: high. I included a bit of bacon, which would be the priciest part of the equation.

5 thoughts on “Adventures in the kitchen: Potato, bacon and leek soup

  • Reply Shawanda Greene (@TheyCallMeCheap) May 8, 2012 at 00:03

    Mmm. Bacon. I’d probably pass on the leeks and go with another vegetable (Swiss chard maybe), but this looks really delicious.

  • Reply pantryobsession May 8, 2012 at 00:05

    This looks great. It’s getting cold here too in Aust so this could be on the menu quite soon 🙂

  • Reply Tracey May 8, 2012 at 10:30

    Yum! Have to make this. Good winter fare.

  • Reply littlespace (@littlespace) May 9, 2012 at 12:28

    Om nom nom!!

  • Reply Roslyn December 1, 2012 at 04:08

    Leeks can be used in the place of onions in many cottexns. Leeks and potatoes make an awesome frittata, if you like that sort of thing. I’d also use leeks in braised kale: crisp up some bacon and saute the sliced leeks over medium-high heat in the bacon grease until they’re softened and slightly browned (or just saute the leeks in olive oil if you’re a non-meat person), add a little minced garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and whatever other seasonings you like, then throw in some coarsely chopped kale. Toss the kale until it’s coated with the seasonings and the leeks are distributed throughout. Add about 1/2 cup of liquid (chicken or beef broth works fine, as does wine, or apple cider, or even water). Cover it and let it cook for a few minutes, then remove the cover and let most of the liquid cook away. Stir the crisped and crumbled bacon back in and finish it off with some balsamic vinegar and pine nuts or whatever other flavoring agents you like.

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