Don’t you just love leek & potato soup? Or really, any soup?
It’s one of those things that I have very fond memories of from when I was a kid. Well, not really. We ate a lot of boxed Lipton noodles (which I still crave when I’m sick) and I distinctly remember cans upon cans of Campbell’s Mushroom soup in the cupboard.
Don’t get me wrong – my momma definitely made soup. Split pea with ham, mainly. And to this very day it’s still one of my favorites. I regularly buy it from the grocery store – though it’s not nearly as satisfying, flavorful and amazing as my mom’s. I’d make it myself but rarely have a hock of ham laying about. Maybe that’s something I need to change.
Yup. I love soup. I love Cauliflower Soup and French Onion and Winter Veg Wonton Soup, and Curried Winter Squash and of course my regular go to, Best Ever Chicken Noodle Soup. Or even my friend Kirsten’s Silken Turnip & Potato Soup. Or her Potato, Beet & Leek Soup. Or Meghan’s Stuffed Artichoke Soup! Or Casey’s classic Broccoli Cheese Soup. You get the idea – I love soup!
There is just one thing I am emphatically anti when it comes to soup. Tomato.
I hate tomato soup. My brother and I agree that this must be attributed to our childhood babysitter who used to make us eat it, day in, day out no matter what. We couldn’t leave the table until we finished our bowls of astringent yet sickeningly sweet tomato soup that tasted more like can and ketchup, than soup. With crackers, thank you very much. She’d make us sit there all day if necessary. And now I can’t even stand the smell of the stuff. And as far as I know, my baby bro can’t either. Of course, it was probably far less traumatic than I’m making it out to be. Wendy – the babysitter – was a pretty awesome lady. And really, there are worse things she could have fed us for lunch. Like kittens. Or moonshine. Or raw coconut.
….I hate raw coconut. Almost as much as I hate tomato soup.
Here’s the ridiculousness though when it comes to soup: We buy it. And because of that, we don’t actually eat soup very often but rather a bastardized version of the stuff. Why, when something is so simple, so delicious and so affordable, do we allow ourselves into the “inside isles” at the grocery store to pick out a bland, soggy, processed version of the real thing? It’s so easy to make! SO easy to make! And way better than the store bought gloop we tend to call soup.
Take my insanely tasty leek and potato soup for instance. In just over half an hour, you can have a completely local, totally amazing, organic, seasonal and preservative free dinner. Or lunch. For the entire duration of the week! Kind. Of. Awesome.
Leek & Potato Soup
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 Lb Waxy Potatoes.
- 3 Large Leeks.
- 1/2 Spanish Onion.
- 3 Medium Carrots.
- 4 C Veggie or Chicken Stock.
- 6 C Water.
- 1 Bay Leaf.
- Sprig of Woody Herb (ie Savory, Marjoram, Thyme or Oregano).
- 1/2 C Heavy Cream.
- 3 Tbsp Butter.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
- Coarse Sea Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.
- 4 Pieces of Good Quality Bacon, chopped into 1/2" pieces (garnish).
- Handful of Fresh Chives, finely chopped. (garnish).
Instructions
- Pre-heat your stock pot over medium heat. Add bacon into hot pot and brown until crispy, stirring often. Remove with a slotted spoon into a paper towel lined dish. Set aside.
- As the bacon cooks, slice and dice all the vegetables so they're roughly the same size - approx. 1 - 1 1/2" pieces. Once you remove the bacon from the pot, add the onion and leeks to the remaining bacon fat. Stir often and if necessary (depending on how fatty your bacon was), add a glug of olive oil. Stirring often, cook until softened, but not browned - approx. 4-5 minutes.
- Add the water and stock, making sure to scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the pot for flava! (that's flavor).
- Dump in the carrots, potatoes, herb sprig, bay leaf and season generously with salt and pepper. Turn up the heat to high, bring to a boil and cook for 15 - 20 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Turn the heat to low - compost bay leaf and whatever is left of the herb stem.
- Carefully scoop out half the soup/veggies into a blender or food processor, puree for just a few seconds. Pour back into pot, add cream & butter, taste. Add more salt and pepper if necessary.
- Dish up and garnish liberally with cooked bacon and chopped chives.
Notes
Tip: Slice the bacon when it's just come out of the fridge with a sharp knife - it'll slide through the fat easier than if the bacon is warm.
Don’t you just love soup? What’s your favorite? Any soup qualms? How about soup queries? Let’s talk soup mcgoop!
Melissa
January 31, 2014 at 10:24 AMNO WAY! This looks amazing! Now I know what’s for dinner on Sunday 😉 Thanks for sharing!
Kristy Gardner
February 3, 2014 at 2:01 PMI hope you enjoy it Melissa!! It was seriously so filling and totally comforting – I love a good bowl of soup. Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Meghan@CleanEatsFastFeets
February 7, 2014 at 7:13 PMYou can’t go wrong with a good homemade soup. In fact, I’ve got my own veggie stock cooking away (or seasoning away) in the Crockpot right now so I can make some homemade chicken less noodle soup tomorrow.
Thanks for the link love.
Kristy Gardner
February 11, 2014 at 10:08 AMHAHA – did you ever see that episode of Friends when Monica is sick so Phoebe brings her chicken noodle soup but it’s just flavored water? I’m sure yours will be much better than that but the lack of chicken made me think of that episode. So funny. I agree – homemade soup is the shiznat.
Aurica
February 18, 2014 at 10:04 AMthat’s right, it’s insanely one soup recipe that i’ve got to try and for sure it’s a tasty and apetisant one 😉
Kristy Gardner
April 28, 2014 at 12:57 PMAw thanks Aurica!!
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April 28, 2014 at 8:51 AM[…] Insanely Tasty Potato Leek Soup by She Eats. In just over half an hour, you can have a completely local, totally amazing, organic, seasonal and preservative free dinner. Or lunch. For the entire duration of the week! […]
Ashley
May 31, 2014 at 10:38 PMJust made this and I gotta say it’s SOUPER good! Sorry, I can’t resist a food pun. Thinking about adding a few extra ingredients next time to make a Zuppa Toscana influenced version! Thanks for the great recipe!
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