Baked Potato and Leek Soup

I have had this recipe for a very long time but have never prepared it until this past week. I believe it was originally published in Fine Cooking magazine many years ago.

 When making a Potato Soup I have always prepared my mother's Potato Soup recipe that is excellent but I wanted to try something different and this recipe sounded very good. We have had some overcast, chilly and dreary weather last week so I thought a stick to your ribs soup that would warm you all over was in order.

Baked Potato and Leek Soup with Cheddar and Bacon

4 medium russet potatoes (about 1/2 lb. each)
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups sliced leeks ( about 2 medium; white and light green parts), rinsed well
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups homemade or low-salt canned chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar (about 1/4 lb.)
2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Scrub the potatoes in water, pat dry, and pierce in several places with a fork. Set them directly on an oven rack and bake until very tender when pierced with a fork, about 1 hour. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Melt the butter in a soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and garlic, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the broth and 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the leeks are very tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the bacon in a skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon bits with a slotted spoon to a saucer lined with paper towels to drain and cool.

When the potatoes are cool, cut one of them in half lengthwise. Use a large spoon to scoop the flesh in one piece from each half. Cut the flesh into 1/2-inch cubes and set aside. Coarsely chop the potato skin and the entire remaining potato and add to the pot with the leeks. Puree the contents of the pot in a blender until very smooth (you'll need to work in two batches). Return the pureed soup to a clean soup pot and reheat over medium low. Whisk together the milk and sour cream until smooth and then whisk this into the soup, along with 1/2 cup of the Cheddar. Stir in the diced potato. The soup should be fairly thick, but if it seems too thick, thin it with a little water. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with the remaining Cheddar, the bacon bits, and the scallions or chives.

My Notes: When I make this soup again I will use Yukon Gold potatoes for two reasons, I like a creamy potato soup and the Yukon Golds would work better if the entire potato is pureed. This soup as it reads does get very thick and I had to add a good bit of water to get it to the consistency I wanted.

I did not do the bacon for a garnish but if I did I would use that as my liquid to saute' my vegetables instead of the butter.

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I thought this was an excellent soup, better than the one I have always prepared with the exception of my notes. This is a recipe that I will prepare over and over again.

I love cooking with leeks and can't you just smell them cooking here. Oh my what a fragrance.

 

 

 

Pared with a Mixed Green Salad and crusty bread it made for soup that warmed you up on a chilly, dank evening.

 



It made a lot of soup and this will be my dinner this evening, YUM.

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