Hearty leek and potato soup

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**RECIPE, FEEDS 4**

4 oz (113g) hard salami, bacon or other cured fatty meat (or skip it)
1.5 lb (680g) leeks
1.5 lb (680g) potatoes (any kind but I prefer waxy)
1 32 oz (946mL) carton of stock (I use chicken but any kind is fine)
1 cup (237mL) cream
salt
pepper
fresh rosemary and thyme (or whatever herbs you've got)

For god's sake, treat the above quantities as approximate.

Cut the meat into big chunks, put it in a cold soup pot, turn on moderate heat. Fat will melt out of the meat and then you can start browning the meat in said fat. Stir occasionally to make sure it doesn't burn.

While the meat is going, prep the leeks. I like to cut off the root end, bisect the leek lengthwise, and cut crosswise into thin strips. I use both the white and the green parts, but I don't use the very tops of the greens where they get really dry and fibrous. Leeks have dirt between their layers, so I put all the cut leek strips into a big bowl, swish with water, drain, then I fill the bowl up again with a lot of excess water. Then you can grab the floating leeks off the top and all of the sand will sink to the bottom.

Put the leaks in with the meat, stir, and let soften for a few minutes. While that's going, peel and cut your potatoes into chunks as big as you want. Drop those in the pot, stir and let everything cook for a few minutes. Pour in just enough stock to cover all the solids (might not be the whole carton), cover and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender, maybe a half hour. Stir in the cream and simmer until you see the cream thicken just a little.

Puree the soup, partially puree it (my preference) or don't puree it at all. Live your own life. If you want the soup a little thinner, add more stock. Flavor with salt, pepper and herbs to taste.