Soup’s On…Potato Leek Soup

This month’s cooking club theme was “colors.” Everyone had a different color that had to be the primary hue of the dish. My “color” was white. Have we settled that debate? Is that even a color?  Anyways, as the hostess, I was responsible for the main dish.  Given that our monthly soiree fell just a week after New Years, I assumed no one was looking for anything too indulgent…but still delicious.

I went with potato leek soup. This was a new recipe and my first time cooking with leeks. In case it was a total disaster, I made the recipe the night before.  The result was good…but lacking any wow factor. So on my way home from work the next night, I grabbed fresh pancetta at a local Italian grocery store. I crisped it up and crumbled it on top of the soup. It was just what the dish needed. Served with a side of fresh, crispy bread, this soup holds its own as a hearty meal. You can easily make it vegetarian by using vegetable stock and omitting the pancetta (but you’ll definitely be missing out).

Potato Leek Soup with Pancetta

• 8 cups chicken stock
• 6 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large pieces
• 4 leeks (whites only), thoroughly washed and sliced
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 stalks celery, roughly chopped
• Olive oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 to 1/2 lb. of pancetta
• A pinch of love

In a large stock pan, sauté the shallot, celery and leeks until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add the chicken stock, potatoes and seasonings.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer until potatoes are soft. When the potatoes are cooked, remove the pot from the heat and pull out the bay leaf.  Puree with immersion blender until smooth.

Return to low heat and add cream and love.

Before serving, brown up pancetta in a skillet, drain grease, chop into bits.

Sprinkle cooked pancetta on each bowl of soup. Enjoy!