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Roasted Potato Leek Soup

Roasted Garlic + Potato Leek Soup

Now that the cooler Fall weather is upon us there’s nothing better than a hearty soup to warm the body and soul. One of our favourite seasonal soups is this Roasted Garlic + Potato Leek combination which checks all the right boxes and always leaves a smile on our faces.
Where I’m from the leeks and potatoes are at perhaps the best quality of the season in September and October, and this soup definitely benefits from that. I’ve paired it here with thick cut bacon, fresh chives, and smoked paprika which provide additional elements of both flavour and texture to the dish. Happy Autumn!
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Canadian
Calories: 444
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups leeks chopped
  • 2 lbs white potatoes cubed
  • 5 tbsp butter
  • 1/2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 head garlic
  • 6 cups vegetable broth low or reduced sodium
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tsp Kosher salt divided
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • 1 tbsp dried chives
  • 1 tbsp fresh chives chopped
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 cup bacon thick-cut

Equipment

  • large Dutch oven
  • wooden spoon
  • immersion blender (or regular blender)
  • tongs
  • tinfoil
  • large baking sheet
  • measuring cups and spoons

Method
 

Mise en Place
  1. Assemble equipment. Peel, wash, and cut potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes, wash and trim leeks (removing the green tops), then slice lengthwise and chop into small pieces, peel and dice shallots, measure and separate all ingredients.
Cooking + Assembly
  1. Preheat oven to roast at 350 degrees F.
  2. Chop the end off of a full garlic bulb, drizzle with olive oil, and wrap in tinfoil. Place the garlic in the oven and roast for 40 minutes.
  3. Place the bacon on a large baking pan and add to the oven at the 30 minute mark. Use tongs to flip the bacon half way through.
  4. Add 3 tbsp of butter to a Dutch oven and melt over medium heat. Add the chopped leeks, shallots, and 1 tsp of salt and cook for approximately 10 minutes until tender and fragrant. Stir frequently with a wooden spoon to avoid browning.
  5. Remove the bacon and garlic from the oven and set aside to cool, placing the bacon on paper towel to remove excess grease.
  6. Add potatoes and vegetable broth to the Dutch oven. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender and can be easily pierced with a fork. Remove from heat.
  7. Squeeze roasted garlic cloves from their skins and add to the pot. Add dried chives, 2 tbsp butter, 1 tsp of salt, pepper, and heavy cream and mix well to combine. Use an immersion blender to completely blend the ingredients together until a smooth consistency is achieved.
  8. Chop bacon into small pieces for garnish. Separate soup into serving bowls, top with bacon and fresh chives, and sprinkle with smoked paprika. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • I've used a thick cut bacon for this recipe, but regular bacon can also be used (or even ham). Just reduce the cooking time accordingly.
  • If you don't have an immersion blender you can always use a regular blender to achieve a smooth consistency. Just be careful to limit the quantity of liquid that you place in the blender to avoid an overflow of hot liquid.
  • The bacon can cook in the oven at the same time as the garlic in order to reduce the total cooking time.