Baked Potato & Leek Soup with Cheddar & Bacon
by Jennifer Armentrout
Yields about 6 cups.
Serves four.
To learn more, read the article:
Cooking with Cheddar
2 medium russet potatoes (about 1/2 lb. each)
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2-1/2 cups sliced leeks (about 2 medium leeks; white and light green parts), rinsed well
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups homemade or low-salt canned chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
4 thick slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar (about 1/4 lb.)
2 Tbs. thinly sliced scallion greens or chives
Heat the oven to 375ºF. Scrub the potatoes in water, pat dry, and pierce in several places with a fork. Set them directly on an oven rack and bake until very tender when pierced with a fork, about 1 hour. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
Melt the butter in a soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and garlic, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the broth and 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the leeks are very tender, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, put the bacon in a skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon bits with a slotted spoon to a saucer lined with paper towels to drain and cool.
When the potatoes are cool, cut one of them in half lengthwise. Use a large spoon to scoop the flesh in one piece from each half. Cut the flesh into 1/2-inch cubes and set aside. Coarsely chop the potato skin and the entire remaining potato and add to the pot with the leeks. Purée the contents of the pot in a blender until very smooth (you'll need to work in two batches). Return the puréed soup to a clean soup pot and reheat over medium low. Whisk together the milk and sour cream until smooth and then whisk this into the soup, along with 1/2 cup of the Cheddar. Stir in the diced potato. The soup should be fairly thick, but if it seems too thick, thin it with a little water. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with the remaining Cheddar, the bacon bits, and the scallions or chives.
nutrition information (per serving):
Calories
(kcal):
290;
Fat
(g):
20;
Fat Calories
(kcal):
15;
Saturated Fat
(g):
9;
Protein
(g):
30;
Monounsaturated Fat
(g):
2;
Carbohydrates
(g):
32;
Polyunsaturated Fat
(g):
85;
Sodium
(mg):
3;
Cholesterol
(mg):
850;
photo: Scott Phillips
From Fine Cooking 57
, pp. 78
May 1, 2003
user reviews
by Kinpira,
11/30/2007Fabulous rich winter soup! I thought the pre-baking of potatoes might be a bother, but it was worth the effort - and wasn't that much extra effort really. Nonetheless, I was too impatient to wait for them to cool totally, so I prepared them when still warm - can't see that it did any harm to the result. Using a hand blender directly in the pot was a great time-saver too. I really liked the toasty flavour that the potato skins lent to the soup. I added some dried thyme and a bay leaf (the bay I removed before blending). The homemade chicken stock I used had quite a vinegary flavour (vinegar extracts the gelatine from the chicken bones), so I used another reviewer's tip to substitute cream cheese for the sour cream, except that I used half sour cream and half cream cheese - it was enough to mellow the vinegar. I didn't have any extra chives or spring onions, but I did have some homemade basil pesto that I put a dob of in each bowl when serving and it combined perfectly. Only had a few thin bacon strips, but it added just enough smoky flavour. If I'd had more time, I would've made croutons, but as it was I just served with wholemeal toast and a cabbage salad. I will certainly make again!
