remember in the 90’s, when you thought applebee’s and chili’s were really cool? and they had loaded baked potatoes, but in soup form on their menu? wow. i do.
this is not the 90’s version of the soup, this is what would happen if the 90’s version grew up to wear hipster glasses and skinny jeans. actually i take that back, this soup isn’t skinny. hipster glasses and a flannel shirt. there we go.
anyways, this soup marks the end of potato birthday week, and i have to say, i’m glad. not that i didn’t enjoy it, but as someone who does not regularly eat potatoes, a whole week of them…well… is enough. while eating this soup, jason and i got into a discussion about which dishes he liked the best. here are the standings: in first place, the slow cooked venison and mashed potatoes, followed by the gnocchi, the horseradish hash browns, the poached trout with twice-baked potatoes, and last but not least, this soup (don’t let that discourage you, it’s still pretty good). i personally thought the gnocchi was by far the most superior of the dishes (then hash browns, venison/mashed, this soup, and twice-baked). but, to quote jason, “in terms of pure potato pleasure, the classic mashed potatoes are just the best.” i’m not joking, he said that.
- 1 whole head garlic
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 medium leeks, trimmed and chopped
- 5-6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 bay leaves
- salt and pepper to taste
- 5-6 medium sized russet potatoes, cut into ½ inch cubes
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 2 pieces bacon
- ¼ cup chives, chopped
- sriracha sauce to taste
- Cut off the top portion of the head of garlic and peel back extra skins. Remove the top part from it's skins and mince.
- In a large pot, melt butter. Add in leeks and minced garlic and cook for 5-6 minutes. Stir in broth, bay leaves, and salt and pepper. Place garlic head in pot and cover.
- Cook for 30 minutes, until garlic is very tender. Remove garlic and bay leaves from pot and set aside.
- Add potatoes to soup, and cook covered for another 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile squeeze the cooked garlic out of the skins and mash into a paste - you can use this to spread over a baguette or other bread for serving.
- Also while you're waiting for the potatoes to cook, cook bacon until slightly crispy in a pan. Chop it up into small pieces.
- When potatoes have finished, use an immersion blender or transfer to food processor and roughly puree the soup. It shouldn't be totally smooth (I like it to have some of the potato chunks).
- Transfer soup back into pot. Add in sour cream and bacon. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Serve soup with chives and as much sriracha as you like on top and with a side of garlic bread.
recipe adapted from smitten kitchen.
[…] year, I indulged Jason’s fantasy with a week of potatoes for his birthday (here, here, here, here, and here). But this year, I wanted to top it with this ridiculous meal. With the help of our […]
writes Jason's 30th Birthday Fantasy Meal - things i made todayWhat temp do you cook the leeks, broth and bay leaves at for 30 minutes? Simmer? Medium?
writes ClintonOoph I wrote this a long time ago, sorry for leaving out details! I’d cook it over med-low heat, so it’s just above simmering.
writes Vicky