Smoky Bacon, Leek and Potato Soup

Nothing Cures the winter blues like some homemade leek and potato soup.  The smoky bacon, roasted garlic and touch of spicy mustard in this version, will warm you up all the way through.  ( Makes enough for Dinner for 4 people, or starters for 8)

Cut Whole garlic in half, in oven safe cookware, drizzle with olive oil, broil on top rack for 10min.  Keep watch, garlic will roast fairly quickly this way. Let cool, remove skin and chop. ( you can use food processor)

Double smoked, thick cut bacon, pan fried on med high heat. Once cooked, place on paper towel and reserve fat. Remove pan from heat and keep aside for later use. Cool and then finely chop (you can use food processor)

Peel potatoes, cut into quarters, rinse and place in stock. On high heat, boil until potatoes are tender (approx. 20mins)

While potatoes are cooking and you've prepared your garlic and bacon, cut and clean your leeks. Remove tips and stems and cut lengthwise. Each layer needs to be cleaned under cold running water.

Cut your leeks and onion, set aside. 

Put your bacon pan back on med high heat, add 2 tbsp. of the reserved bacon fat. Let pan heat up and add leeks, onion, mustard, paprika, salt, pepper and cook until onions and leeks are tender (about 10min)

Add leeks, onions and roasted garlic to potatoes and stock.  Bring to a simmer, on med heat.

In batches, ladle soup into food processor and puree. Ladle pureed soup into new pot. Or if you have a hand mixer, you can puree your soup directly in the original pot.

Once you've pureed you entire soup add cream, fresh chives and bacon. Mix and bring soup to a slow simmer. Remember to taste soup and if you require more salt or pepper, add it accordingly. If soup is too thick for your liking add some more stock at this point.

To make this starter a meal, add grated Cheddar, fresh chives and grilled baguette.

Ingredients:

• 4 pieces of extra thick double smoked bacon ( from Aubrey's Butcher shop in the Byward Market) www.byward-market.com/en/directory/food-retail/59.htm
• 1 whole garlic, cut in half, roasted and pureed
• 2 tbsp. of olive oil
• 6-8 med sized boiling potatoes, peeled, quartered and rinsed
• 1 1/2 - 2L of chicken stock ( depends how thick you like your soup)
• 1/2 large sweet onion chopped
• 2 leeks trimmed, cleaned, chopped
• 1 tsp of fresh ground black pepper, or to taste
• 1 tsp of sea salt, kosher, or regular salt, I used fleur de sel, or to taste
• 1 tsp of paprika, 2 if you like a little spice
• 2 tbsp. of mustard, I used Mrs. McGarrigle's Canadian Maple www.mustard.ca/
• 1/3 cup of 35% whipping cream
• 2 tbsp of fresh chives