A fall soup that is delicious with freshly harvested leeks! The combination of potatoes, leeks, bacon, and cream make a rich soup, that is best served with a freshly baked loaf of crusty bread.
Ingredients
- 4 strips bacon, chopped (about ½ cup)
- 6 medium-size leeks (white and pale green parts), cleaned and chopped (about 4 cups)
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 lb. potatoes, peeled and chopped into ½-inch cubes
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ tsp. dried thyme
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
Directions
In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, or Dutch oven over medium heat, sauté bacon until it has browned uniformly, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a plate.
Add leeks to the pan and sauté them over low heat, stirring frequently to make sure they do not burn, until wilted, 5 to 10 minutes.
Add the potatoes, broth, bay leaf, thyme, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes and leeks are both very tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.
Puree the mixture using an immersion blender. Add the bacon, and simmer, stirring often, until the bacon flavor permeates the soup, 5 minutes.
Just before serving, stir in the cream and parsley and heat the soup to just below a simmer. Taste, and add salt and pepper if needed.
Yield
4 servings