Leek ,Potato & Bacon Soup

[haras2]

Making the first big pot of soup for the cold weather
It tastes fine with an added stock cube but still a bit dull
What would you add to enhance it or would you leave well alone ?

[Cloverjo]

Salt, pepper, a bit of chilli, Worcestershire sauce.

[kirkcudbright]

What about onion and garlic? Also smoked streaky or lardons for the bacon

[pastafreak]

Lots of black pepper...but that's obviously not to everyone's taste.

[haras2]

Apart from the chili, I'll try all your suggestion in future soups
For this one I'm going to try the Worcester sauce
Thank you all

[retrocop]

My wife recently made that soup. She used ham stock which she saved and froze when we last boiled a ham joint. Superb. She didn't need to add salt for sure.

[haras2]

Retrocop
I agree with you about the ham stock, sometimes it's just too salty so I dilute it by 50%

[AuntPollyGrey]

Sour cream then sprinkle with chopped spring onions to serve
Sour cream then sprinkle with fried mushrooms to serve
Sour cream then sprinkle with breadcrumbs fried in garlic butter to serve

You can also use normal thick double cream

[haras2]

Yum Yum Aunt Polly!
Now you're spoiling us !

[Vagus]

Personally I wouldn’t add Worcester sauce to the soup,I think it would overwhelm the taste.
I make leek and potato soup, no bacon, and it tastes lovely, the only thing I add is a veg stock cube, and maybe a bit of cream at the end.

[Buenchico]

My instinct would be to add some white wine or perhaps a dash of dry cider.

[jourdain2]

When I make Leek & Potato soup I add a chicken stock cube and always cream at the end. I should add that usually make a fair quantity. It is in demand at 'pot luck' village suppers, she says modestly.

[haras2]

Vagus, what you suggest is the classic basic recipe which can't be beaten but we tend to want to dress things up a bit and gild the lily
Buenchico, sadly today is Monday and all the Muscadet seems to have evaporated and I think Shady polished off the cider :)

[Vagus]

Some things don’t need gilding ;)
I like to play around with soup too, fridge bottom soup is one that can never be replicated.

[gingejbee]

I also think that Worcester sauce is a "no-no" in this soup.
Worcester sauce adds an umami flavour to tomatoey and meaty dishes and would be out of place with this (what is normally) mild-flavoured soup.

[alavahalf]

I make loads of soup as I have to avoid anything packaged or wrapped. I even make the veg stock from scratch.
Having an abundance of veg on the allotment, I make large pots and freeze it.
First thing is to make a base for the soup.
1 large potato
1 large leek
2 carrots
2 sticks of celery
1 onion .. all chopped really small, then sweated down in a drizzle of oil and a knob of butter.

2 stock cubes (home made)
1 tsp of dry mixed herbs
1 tsp of Paprika .. all added to 1 ltr of boiling water.

Stock then added to veg and brought to the boil, before simmering for 20 mins... Blend with a stick blender until smooth.
Then get 2 more leeks, sliced lengthways and then chopped across into 1" chunks.
2 more potatoes cut into 1/2" cubes.
1 carrot cut lengthways and then sliced into fine slivers.
Everything into the microwave for 5 mins or until the potatoes are almost cooked.
Drain and put everything into the soup base.
Add a handfull of red lentils.
Simmer for 15 mins ..
Just leave to cool and put into poly bags for the freezer !

Sometimes I do some bacon until it's crispy and just crush it and add that as well ..

[237SJ]

At that stage I would probably just season it and put some cream and chopped chives into it. Possibly a bit of grated parmesan on the top.

[alavahalf]

I cant have cream .. do like the chives idea, will make this next Saturday after I dig the leeks and spuds etc.

[haras2]

Thank you all for your expertise
I shall print these answers off and work my way through them over the winter.
Much appreciated

[bobbinwales]

A make sevral soups a week and always add stilton to leek&potato and to celery & potato soups to give that extra zing to the flavor. Am sure that the stilton will work well with the bacon in there to

[Zacs-Master]

Garlic croutons.