As a craving for comfort food persisted, potato and leek soup seemed like the perfect meal: warm, soothing, smooth and tasty. I have always had a fondness for potato and leek soup, somehow it always leaves you very fulfilled, it's easy to make and doesn't require too many ingredients. This time I wanted to make it a little bit different and give it some body, and what gives a vegetable soup a better base than bacon? Bacon ALWAYS adds good flavor and some good fat, since potatoes and leeks aren't exactly equipped with a whole lot of calories... For an herbal addition I added fresh sage: a most excellent accompaniment if you ask me. Besides, sage is often forgotten and rarely used and goes well with leeks and potatoes. The only thing I think I would improve for next time is the amount of water I added. I used a little too much water, and as a result I couldn't add as much half-and-half as I wanted, or else my soup would have turned out way too liquidy. Overall, this soup was very good and very comforting, just like comfort food should be. Large batch (about 8-10 servings) Ingredients: - 5 lbs of winter potatoes (baking potatoes, King Edward or similar...) peeled and cut in pieces
- 3 large leeks, rinsed and cut
- 8 slices of bacon
- 2 quarts of water
- 4 bullion cubes (I used Knorr's chicken bullion)
- 1 cup of half-and-half
- 1/2 cup of dry Vermouth
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 2 tbsp of fresh, chopped sage
- 1 tbsp of Balsamic Vinegar
- Black Pepper
Method: Cut bacon in small pieces and cook until crispy in a large pot. Remove about half of the fat. Add potatoes and leeks and cook for a few minutes. Add water and bullion cubes. Cover with a lid and let boil until the potatoes are soft, about 20 min. Take about 3 cups of soup out and blend in a blender until smooth. Place back in the pot, add half-and-half, dry vermouth and lemon juice. Let simmer for a few minutes. Add balsamic vinegar, pepper and taste. Season if needed, else add the fresh sage and serve.
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