Potato and leek soup: the homely bowl of fall

I feel bad for dissing on the potato. But really, it's just not pretty.

What it is, however, is practical, filling, economical, versatile, and what I crave so often. When I'm home alone, I go buy a 30-cent tater and splurge on Nancy's organic cottage cheese to top it after it's been baked, with freshly cracked pepper at the end. Oh, me.

Another recent revelation is to salt the outside of the potato before it bakes in the oven, then after it's baked, you scoop out the filling, mix it with finely chopped corned beef and minced chives or green onion, put it back in the skin, sprinkle a little parmesan on top and stick it under the broiler for a minute. Salty and scrumptious with a simple green salad and tall glass of water. (Thank you, Melissa Clark - recipe found in Cook This Now.)

Well anyway, we all need potato and leek soup when the weather decidedly turns bitter, and I'd like to remind you of this. It's the bee's knees.

Add color to dress it up and make it feel special, like with bacon, parsley, chives, what-have-you. Or just spoon the stuff into a colorful bowl and it will instantly become more attractive.

Potato & Leek Soup ... with bacon
Serves 4

3-4 slices bacon
2 large leeks, white and light green parts, sliced in thin half-moon slices and rinsed well
1 bay leaf
2 big potatoes (about a pound), peeled and cut into even chunks - I use russets but yellow are great as well
4 c. low sodium broth (chicken or vegetable)
salt
parsley

Chop the bacon and place it in a cold pot and turn the burner to medium. Let the bacon cook until it's the level of crispness you like. Remove the bacon to drain on paper towels. Drain off all but 1 T. of the bacon fat. (You can omit the bacon all together and melt a T. of butter here.)

Sauté the leeks and bay leaf in the fat, still over medium heat, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and a generous pinch of salt and stir a couple times. Add the broth and bring to a boil. If the liquid doesn't cover the potatoes, add a little more (water is fine). Reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are fork tender. Remove the bay leaf. With an immersion blender or regular blender, blend the soup until smooth. Though I won't judge you if you like the potato chunks to remain whole.

Season with salt and pepper as you'd like, top with chopped parsley and bacon bits.