Baked Potato and Leek Soup

Is there anything nicer that a pot of homemade soup on a gloomy day? It evokes feelings of comfort and warmth... and it makes the house smell so great, too.

I bought 4 large Yukon Gold potatoes, with an eye to making another batch of Potato and Leek Soup, but when I got the potatoes out to scrub them up, I decided to bake them before putting them in the soup pot.  I think it makes a creamier soup.

I hope you will give it a try. It makes up very quickly and we really enjoyed it.  Use chicken broth if you like.  I used my homemade vegetable broth in this soup.

Baked Potato and Leek Soup
Makes 6 servings of 1-1/2 cups each

• 4 large Yukon Gold potatoes, just over 2 pounds in total
• 2 tsp canola oil
• 1 large leek, washed and the white thinly sliced
• 3-1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tsp salt
• Dashes of pepper and thyme

1. Scrub the potatoes and either bake them in the microwave oven for about 12 minutes or in a conventional oven for about an hour, till they are cooked through.
2. Leeks like to hide sand between the layers so wash thoroughly and then slice the white part very thinly, and discard the green part.
3. Pour the oil into a large saucepan, and gently saute the leek, separating the rings as it cooks.  Keep the heat on LOW until the leek is cooked and tender.  This may take about 10 minutes.
4. When the potatoes are cooked, cut them into chunks and add to the soup pot.  If you have used a variety of potato that does not have tender skins, like a Russet, you may want to just scoop out the cooked flesh to use, and discard the skin.
5. Add broth to the pot, stir, and raise heat to HIGH, and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat, add salt, pepper, and thyme, and let cool for a few minutes.
6. Blend a bit with your hand-held immersion blender, but leave as chunky as you like. 
7. Serve with a sprinkle of real crumbled bacon, a dollop of fat free sour cream or yogurt, and a bit of grated cheddar cheese.  Season as required with salt and pepper.

Per serving, without garnishes.
Weight Watchers P+ = 2.
Calories 86; Protein 2g; Carbohydrate 16g; Fat 2g; Fibre 2g.

Scrub potatoes and poke a hole in them before baking them in the microvave oven.

Don't use the green part of the leek.

Heat oil and gently saute leek slices.

You do not want them to brown or get crispy, just tender so keep heat LOW.

Cut baked potatoes into chunks.

Add potatoes and broth to the soup pot and heat through.

A bit of crumbled bacon, grated cheddar and fat free sour cream make nice garnishes and add flavor.

And you may want an extra sprink of salt and pepper too.

Printable Recipe