Smokey Potato Leek Soup c/o chat N chow

I had the AC on just last week and now it's time for the heat.  It's also time for blankets, fires and soups!  A friend brought back some bacon fresh from a smoke house up in Vermont.  I wanted to make something that would complement the flavor so I came up with a Smokey Potato Leek Soup and it was fantastic.  I ended up eating it for breakfast, lunch and dinner since it was sooo good & simple to make!

Smokey Potato Leek Soup 

c/o chatNchow.com

Ingredients: 

4 - 6 pieces of bacon

3 - 4 leeks well washed and chopped

4 - 6 large red potatoes peeled and chopped

1 clove garlic

2 bay leaves 

leaves from 2 sprigs of thyme

1 /2 cup dry white wine

1 standard box of chicken stock

2 cups water

salt and pepper to taste

creme fraiche or sour cream to taste

Directions: 

- In a deep stock pot cook pieces of bacon.  When bacon is crispy remove and place on paper towels to drain.

- You will cook the leeks in the drippings.  If you want you can remove some of the oil depending on how much was rendered from the bacon.  My bacon wasn't all that fatty so I left what was in the pot.

- Over medium heat add the leeks.  Cook for 10 minutes.

- De-glaze with white wine

- Add potatoes, garlic, stock, herbs, salt and pepper

- Simmer covered for 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft

- If you have an immersion blender you can blend soup at this point to desired thickness

- I just have a regular blender.  In batches place soup in blender, leave cover off and place a towel over opening.  Blend until just smooth.  I needed to add some water at this point to get the mixture to blend.

- For an extra smooth soup you can pour blended soup through a sieve.  I found my briefly blended soup to have a lovely and smooth texture so I didn't bother. 

- Don't use a Cuisinart for this step as it will make the texture like paste.

** Never try to blend a hot liquid fully covered!  The heat will expand, the top will blow off and you will have a HOT mess!!  Trust me, this can happen as I learned many years ago!!

To serve:

Swirl in a spoonful of sour cream and top with chopped bacon, salt and pepper.  It's also nice to have some freshly toasted hearty bread and white wine on the side.