Madhouse recipe : Thick & Creamy Potato, Leek & Bacon Soup

Creamy in texture but totally dairy-free and as light on the pocket as it is on the waistline. This only needs four ingredients (there's a clue in the title !) and took 15 minutes to throw together. I planned on making it more elaborate, adding cream or curry powder, but in the end, it didn't need either. If you're thinking it looks too thick, you could add hot water to dilute but the kids loved the "almost mashed potato" texture and the fact that it was easy to keep on the spoon ! It's the ultimate comforting winter warmer.

Thick & Creamy Potato, Leek & Bacon Soup

ingredients :

200g bacon lardons (or rashers, chopped into pieces)

2 leeks (I had one gigantic one !)

2-3 potatoes (again, I had one oversized one !)

1 stock cube (ham is lovely but chicken or vegetable would do too)

Put the bacon lardons in a large pan and cook for a couple of minutes until they start to release some fat.

Slice the leek (all of the white and some of the green - make sure you wash out all of the dirt) and add to the pot.

Chop the potato into chunks (no need to peel) and toss into the pot too.

Stir fry for 5 minutes until the bacon takes on some colour and the veggies soften and soak up all the lovely bacon flavour.

Pour over enough boiling water to cover everything, crumble in the stock cube, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Check the potatoes are cooked through by stabbing them with a sharp knife.

Use a stick blender to reduce to a thick puree. Season to taste - mine was salty enough from the bacon but you might want to add a grind of black pepper or a dash of curry powder. I originally planned on adding cream but decided it didn't need it. Add water if you want it to be slightly less thick.