Potato-Leek Soup

From the garden

• 2 lb potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 3 large leeks, white and light green parts, sliced and washed well
• 2 tbsp fresh chives, snipped (optional)
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced

From the pantry

• 4 tbsp butter
• 5 cups vegetable stock
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 slices bacon (optional) · cooked crisp and crumbled, for topping
• salt · to taste
• black pepper

1. Melt the butter in a soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the leeks with a good pinch of salt and cook gently, stirring often, 8–10 minutes until completely soft and sweet. No browning; that's what keeps the soup delicate. Add the garlic for the last minute.
2. Add the potatoes, stock, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and cook 15–18 minutes, until the potatoes mash easily against the side of the pot.
3. Fish out the bay leaf. Blend until silky with an immersion blender (or in batches in a blender, lid vented), or just mash roughly for a chunkier, rustic pot.
4. Stir in the cream and warm through without boiling. Season assertively with salt and black pepper: potato soups are bland until suddenly they aren't.
5. Serve topped with chives, and crumbled bacon if you like.