Sharing Is Caring

And because I care so much about all of you, I will share my recipe for leek and potato soup as requested by Anna.

I am not convinced the online world needs yet another recipe for leek and potato soup, and God knows, I don't really do recipes, but Anna asked, so here we go:  My vague outline of how to make leek and potato soup.

I happened to have some leftover bacon grease around, so this last time I made it I didn't use actual bacon.  But normally I dice a couple of slices of bacon, render out the fat, and then use the fat to saute the leek and onion.  And use the bacon itself in the soup, too, of course.

Anyway, however you get your fat, saute the leek and onion on low heat until they're very soft but not brown.  I think this last time I had about two cups of thinly sliced leeks (across the circumference, not lengthwise) and a diced medium onion.  The leeks are more sweet than onion-y, so they can use the boost from an onion.

When they're soft, I add about an equal amount of peeled, diced potatoes.  Use a variety that falls apart when cooking, like Russet.  The smaller the potatoes are diced, the faster it will all cook.

Add enough chicken stock, veggie stock, or a combination of stock and water to cover the vegetables.  Add salt, depending on the saltiness of the stock, and a bunch of pepper.  Simmer until it's all soft.  Puree it either with an immersion blender if you're lucky enough to own such a wondrous device (I am not), or in a blender or food processor in batches.

If you like some chunks, don't puree it all.  I like it all really smooth, personally.

Put it all back in the pot and add some heavy cream.  I think I used about a third of a cup this time.  You can use milk, too, or a combination of milk and cream, but the cream is the best.  Of course.

And that's it.  It's simple, but it takes a deceptively long time to make, what with all those dirty vegetables and the irritating "puree in batches" bullshit.  Which is why you should just go ahead and make a big pot, because it's a wonderful thing to have as leftovers for lunch for days.

Or, you know, two days, if you eat it as fast as I do.  Whatever.  It's delicious and very heartening on a cold, nasty day.  And I GUESS worth the incredible effort involved in gathering the ingredients in late January.  If you have access to one of those new-fangled "grocery stores," it might be a wee bit easier to assemble your ingredients.  It probably won't taste as good as soup made with homegrown leeks and potatoes and homemade chicken stock from homegrown chickens, but still pretty damn good.

So go for it.  Make some leek and potato soup, and raise your spoon in a toast to Blackrock and the ridiculous lengths we go to for food.