Creamy Potato Leek Soup

1. Peel and chop potatoes roughly. Cut the ends off of the leeks and chop them roughly—be sure to rinse the dirt out too!

2. In a large pot heat the butter and bacon over medium-high heat. Let the bacon brown a bit and then add in the leeks. Cook until the leeks have softened and caramelized, stirring occasionally. Then add in the potatoes and garlic. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Pour the chicken stock over the potatoes. Cover the pot and let the mixture simmer until the potatoes are fork tender, about 10-15 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to dish out the bacon strips. I pulled the cooked meat off and added it into the soup and discarded the fatty bits … and maybe fed some to Watson.

4. Turn the heat off and ladle the soup into a blender to puree, or if you have an immersion blender (I’m jealous!) then just go for it! But I do it the old fashioned way so fill your blender not quite all the way full and blend until smooth. Pour the pureed soup into a separate bowl and continue blending until the whole batch has been pureed and is smooth.

5. Taste the soup and re-season with salt and pepper to taste.

6. Serve with warm, buttery, garlic bread and sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

7. Enjoy!