Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Potatoe Leek soup



About 4 pieces bacon chopped(not necessary but bacon makes everything better)
2 good sized Leeks, or 3 small
anywhere from 1/2 to 1 whole onion ( I use less bc onions hate me)
3 large baking potatoes or 4-6 small
2 tsp salt (or to taste) Potatoes suck up a lot of salt so don't be squeamish
dill
either chicken broth or water

Brown the bacon and saute the onion with it for maybe 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile peel and chop up the potatoes and leek. If the leeks are dirty, then chop them up and let them sit in a bowl of water for a while, swishing well to dislodge the dirt. When bacon is brown and onion translucent (or caramelized if you like, I do). Then dump all of it in a crock pot and turn it on low. Takes about 7-8 hours or maybe 4 or 5 on high. Alternatively, you can put it all in a pot, bring to a simmer and let it do it's thing for 15 or 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Finish off with maybe a half cup of uncooked, instant mashed potatoes to make it creamy (thanks Jacques Pepin). OR, you can just cook the potatoes longer, they will start to break down the longer they cook.

You can add any of the following, or whatever else you may fancy:

Can of corn, or fresh if you roll like that.
Can (or 2) of chopped clams
Cooked, diced potatoes
chopped asparagus
Broccoli (add cheese too for broc-n-cheese soup)


Just about anything you want to add works. It's a great way to use up leftovers!