Soup season is here!  I will probably make it every other day until Christmas…not really, but soup is a great way to pack in nutrients in one delicious dish.  The potatoes are harvested, leeks are in season and this soup could not be simpler.  I added the tasty addition of the bacon.  It just adds the right amount of flavor. If you don’t eat bacon (which is obviously crazy 🙂 ), omit and and use another fat.  You can add corn to this or ham and chucks of potatoes for a hearty soup.  It is great for leftovers.  I actually think it tastes better the next day when all of the flavors are incorporated.

If you have never cooked with leeks before, they are in the same family as onion and garlic.  They more closely resemble a white onion, but with a milder, sweeter flavor. They do not overpower the other flavors in a dish.  They are plentiful in the fall and early spring. When they are in season, I often use leeks in place of onions.  Use the white portions and the light green portion and cut into strips (julienne).

Ingredients:

2 slices of bacon

2 leeks, white and light green portions, julienned about 2 inches

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

4-5 potatoes, peeled and cubed

4-6 cups of chicken stock (or vegetable)

fresh thyme

salt and pepper to taste

pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)

In a deep sauteing pan or dutch oven, fry the two slices of bacon until browned.  Remove the bacon and use the drippings and bits to saute the leeks and garlic (season with sea salt) until softened. Add the chicken stock, potatoes, thyme, salt and pepper and crushed red pepper if you are using. Simmer until the potatoes are soft.  Use an immersion blender or blender to puree the soup in batches.  I prefer to puree the whole soup, but you can also keep it a little on the chunky side.  Serve with a piece of crusty bread and enjoy!