Bacon Provolone Potato Leek Soup

I am rejoicing in the magic of leeks. Often throughout my culinary history, I’ve wondered why the distinction between leeks and onions? I mean really, they are just onions, right?

It’s funny that it took me this long to realize that they are DIFFERENT! I like how WH Foods describes them:

“With a more delicate and sweeter flavor than onions, leeks add a subtle touch to recipes without overpowering the other flavors that are present.”

That’s exactly it! Because of the leeks, this soup has just a light sweet oniony taste that allows the potato, cheese and bacon flavors to shine through. I enjoyed every last drop of this soup, marvelling at the delicate soft taste of it and the amazingly creamy texture. Not to mention the BACON! (yum)

Plus, I think I ought to mention, like garlic and onions, leeks are packed full of antioxidants and healthy flavenoids so they are super-healthy for you (so hey, they help balance out the bacon).

I do NOT, however, recommend garnishing the soup with sauteed leeks. It looks pretty in the pictures, but it kinda ruins the subtle texture of the soup. Just use some shredded cheese and bacon for garnish, and if you desire a bit of green, a leaf of fresh parsley or basil would suffice.

Bacon Provolone Potato Leek Soup

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: About 5 cups of soup 1x

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 3 medium potatoes, cooked, peeled & chopped (about 1 lb)
• 2 leeks
• 3 slices of lean bacon
• 1 Tablespoon flour (use gluten free flour, or just skip the flour for a GF soup)
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 2/3 cup fat free half & half or milk
• 1/3 cup shredded sharp provolone cheese
• 2 oz. light cream cheese
• Salt & fresh-ground black pepper, to taste

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Instructions

1. Cook up the potatoes (boil or bake, either is fine). Remove the skins if you didn’t remove them before cooking.
2. Peel the outer layer off the leeks, then cut off the tops and slice horizontally. If there is any sand in the leeks, rinse it off, then slice very thin. You should have about 1 cup of leeks.
3. Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat and cook the bacon till crispy. Put the bacon on a clean towel to drain off the fat, then pour the bacon fat out of the pan, leaving just a tiny coating of bacon fat in the pan. Add the leeks and saute for just a couple minutes until they are wilted. Sprinkle with flour, stir to coat the leeks, then add the potatoes, wine, chicken broth and bay leaf and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 5 – 10 minutes or until the soup is thickened.
4. Remove from heat and stir in the half & half and cheeses. Add 1 slice of cooked bacon, then use an immersion blender (or regular blender but let the soup cool first) to blend the soup until it’s smooth.
5. Garnish with shredded cheese and crumbled bacon.

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Notes

RECIPE SOURCE: http://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/

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This recipe was shared at Wonderful Food Wednesday, Wine’d Down Wednesday and Foodie Friends Friday.