leek + potato soup

It's that time of year - time to rip out your winter garden and get it cleared and ready for summer's plants.  Our winter garden looked more like a nice, thick, lush lawn to be honest, but there were still a few odds and ends in amongst all the weeds and grass.  Including a very healthy, very forgotten, crop of leeks.  So, out they came and left us going hmmm, that's quite a few leeks.  Leek and potato soup, but of course.  

I used to make a fair bit of this soup back when I worked at Kitty O'Shea's, but haven't really touched the stuff since.  It can be delicious, or it can be stodgy wallpaper paste.  The trick is to puree it a bit (or a lot) if you want it thickened, rather than using flour or cornflour to thicken the broth (I know, who does that?!).  

Anyhoo, here's how we made ours on the weekend - it was hands down the best leek and potato soup I've EVER had.  I know that sounds like a rather large claim, but it's true.  No exaggeration.  Buonissimo, or as we'd say here in Kiwiland, bloody good soup bro.  

50 g butter
2 leeks, chopped
2 rashers bacon, chopped 
2 cloves garlic, finely diced (or crushed)
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
salt and pepper
3 cups chicken stock
2 large potatoes, chopped into cubes
good dollop sour cream and dash of milk (or 1/2 cup milk)

1. Heat butter in large pot and fry leeks, bacon and garlic until leeks are softened.  Add the mustard, salt and pepper.  
2. Pour in chicken stock (we actually used 2 cups homemade stock and 1 cup water, but depends on how strong your stock is).  Add potatoes and simmer away until potatoes are cooked.  
3. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and milk.  
4. You can puree into a thick, creamy soup, or serve as is - thinner broth with chunks of potatoes and leek.  Or, as we did - a couple of blitzes with the stick blender, but still left with chunks.  Yum!!