Potato & Leek Soup

When I came back home after two months of non-stop travel, my body gave out on me. I felt quite sick and the only food I could stomach was soup. I had some leftover leeks and fresh thyme from a chicken soup I had made that I did not want to go to waste. Then is when it occurred to me to make this delicious leek soup. This is perfect for any time of year if you are wanting something flavorful and easy. The base of the soup is dairy-free, but I added gruyère and bacon to enhance the flavors!

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

3 large leeks (I used garleeks) cut lengthwise and sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1.5 tbsp bacon fat or olive oil

4 cups of chicken bone broth *

1 cup of chicken broth **

2 lb yellow potatoes

1 tsp salt

½ tsp cracked pepper

2 sprigs of fresh thyme or 2/3 tsp dried thyme

1 bay leaf

Optional(but highly recommended)

Chopped bacon (strain leftover grease for cooking)

Grated Gruyère cheese

Freshly cracked pepper

Instructions:

1. Remove the dark green part from the leeks, leaving the white and light green parts. Cut the leeks in half lengthwise and rinse under cold water, making sure to remove all debris.

2. Make sure to dry the leeks thoroughly. Slice the leeks and keep aside.

3. Wash and peel potatoes and then cut into 1” cubes.

4. Warm up the bacon fat in a 6 quart pot or dutch oven. Add the leaks to the pot and sauté over medium heat for 8 minutes or until they have softened. Add the garlic and stir occasionally, allowing it to heat until fragrant, about a minute.

5. Add the potatoes, broths, bay leaf, thyme, salt and bring to a boil. Once the soup is boiling, switch heat to low and cover for 15-20 minutes, or until fork tender.

6. Remove the thyme and bay leaf. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup. Otherwise, you can place it in a blender in batches below 180°F.

7. Serve and top with chopped bacon and gruyerè. Enjoy!

*You can use plain chicken broth, but I used chicken bone broth for intensity of flavor and to add protein to the soup.

** You can play with the ratios of bone broth to chicken broth, as store bought bone broth can get pricy. As long as you have 5 cups of liquid, you will have the perfect consistency.

Extra Materials:

Immersion Blender Cuisinart

Storage 1-cup Silicone TraySouper Cubes

• I love these for freezing and storing leftover soup.

Nutrition:

If cooked as suggested, one serving of soup will have 28-30 grams of protein.