Good morning friends. I’m writing to you from my kitchen counter over a steaming cup of hazelnut coffee and a plate of leftover bacon from last night’s soup. Yes, I am only eating bacon for breakfast.
Last night’s Top Chef University recipe was for probably the most well known and basic cream based soup, Potato Leek. We mastered clear soups with the Rustic Chicken Noodle Soup on Monday.
After doing both I think making cream based soups is easier. The flavors really pop once you cook down the cream and it tastes really really fancy.
Meet Mr. Rustic Potato (peeled, diced and sitting in a bowl of water to stop oxidation) and Mrs. Leek (dark green ends removed, stocks sliced in half then sliced short ways, ‘agitating’ in water)
What I did in this recipe that I’d never done before…
- I ‘agitated’ leeks
- scratch that, I actually cooked with leeks…
- I learned what a shallot is.
Okay let’s get to the recipe already!
Home-style Potato Leek Soup with Bacon!
Spike teaches how to make this dish. It takes about an hour with prep time and makes 4-6 servings.
Are you licking your lips yet????
It all looks so mature and fancy! Here’s what really happened in the kitchen…
I become Maren-BEAST of Cambridge when I see bacon!
Karla and Spike have both taken the time to explain Mis en Place. It’s basically just a fancy French word meaning everything in it’s place. Karla explained that it’s important to get all your ingredients ready before cooking. Have them washed and laid out. I did a bunch of the chopping before I even started cooking too.
Having everything organized helps the kitchen stay a little less hectic and makes cooking a ton more fun!
Agitating the leeks is just a way to wash them. After they’re sliced put them in a bowl of water. Stir them around getting all the dirt and grit out from between the stocks. The impurities will fall to the bottom, leaving the perfectly washed stuff at the top!
Be a culinary boss and agitate!
FYI… Donner finally realized he was getting absolutely NO BACON so he gave up…
The rope was necessary. Apparently he becomes Donner-BEAST of Cambridge when he smells bacon too.
The BIGGEST potato leek tip of all is…
don’t cut your potatoes too large. They wont cook through and you’ll have to fish them out, one by one, and boil them in a separate sauce pan for 7 minutes. Sigh.
5 bowls made, 5 people fed. Everyone was happy. happy. happy. And there was lot’s of lip licking!
Tell me about you!!! I want to know…
What is your favorite cream based soup?
The bagel place in Salinas makes this amazing artichoke bisque… I’d probably kill for it…
Have you ever ‘agitated’ leeks?
YES!!
How do you feel about bacon?
OHHH HOLY MAMA IT”S TASTY!
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
You’re so fancy with these recipes lately! I love it. So happy you are back to blogging!
Thanks Danielle. Yeah, my mom subscribed me to Top Chef University for the entire year and I figured it would be a good new hobby to try out. Loving it so far!!
Oooooh. It looks like a yummy soul warming soup. Especially with the bacon. Drool. I love bacon, though I don’t eat it all that much. My favorite bacon I ever had was at Girl and the Fig in Sonoma. The bacon is cured and done locally and my god it was absolutely amazing. Crispy, crunchy, with soooo much flavor. Now I want bacon.
I have never been a a fan of cream based soups. I’m always a broth girl. But…..I dunno if its the same, but a creamy potato soup I had once tasted really good.
I haven’t cooked bacon around Lando, so I don’t know how he would react around it, but considering how he goes nuts with I slow cook pork or cook up turkey meat, I am sure bacon would elicit the same reaction :)
HAHA! you’ll have to try cooking bacon around him. It’ll be hilarious. I’ve always wanted to go to the Girl and the Fig! It’s on my bucket list!
I might have to fight Donner for the bacon….but his puppy kisses would let him win!! By the time you’re done with this TCU, we can have our own cooking show, “Maren & Mo – Kitchen Masters.”
You and I can both fight Donner for the bacon. I get scrappy so I think we’ll win. ;-) We should totally have a cooking show!
That looks freaking awesome. That rope you have Donner tied to is kind of hilarious. He did sort of look like a prisoner attached to it laying on his bed. Not saying I haven’t ever done that to my dog before… :)
I think those photos of Donner are great. They make me laugh ever time. The soup is so good Alysia! Id say do it!!
The rope cracked me up too, but I totally understand. Anytime I’ve had puppies in my life, we usually leave a leash on them while they’re in the house, if they’re still house training.
I loveeeee cream based soups, like potato leek (yum!), just potato (with cheddar and bacon and chives), broccoli, asparagus, mushroom, and that artichoke sounds amazing! As you can see, anything with cream…
I’m glad you learned what a shallot is. :) I have “agitated” leeks before, but I’ve never called it that. I just call it washing them. haha.
Well now you can be a boss and call it agitating, lol. Yeah Donner needs the long line in the house. I’ve been talking to our family friend who trains guide dogs and she uses the long leash to train them not to jump up on furniture and people, etc… IT’s been working pretty well so far. Apparently it also trains them to stay reasonably close to you when you’re in the house.
the addition of bacon equals amazing. your puppy… gosh I can’t even comment. so adorable
Im pretty sure the bacon made this recipe! Donner hearts you!!
That DOES look so fancy! LOL. I love tomato bisque. I think that is cream based?
Yes it is! And it’s also pureed which is what I’m making next.
Mmm…everyone goes nutso for bacon ;D
Ooh, I love potato-leek soup. If I thought Brent would like it, I would totally make this. Artichoke bisque sounds amazing, though. I’m a huge artichoke fan!