Potato Leek Chowder

Ingredients:

Here is Potato Leek Chowder, a simple soup for the beginner cook. It's filling, very cheap to make, and full of flavor. I don't recommend freezing this soup, however, it keeps very well in the fridge for a week or so. Start to finish time is roughly 2 hours.

8 oz bacon, chopped (4-5 strips)
1 lb Polish sausage, sliced into rings (1 package)
8 oz onions, chopped finely (half a large onion)
8 oz leeks, slivered (2 leeks)
2 T garlic, minced
1 lb small red potatoes, quartered (4 potatoes)
8 oz Russett potato, cut in 1" cubes (1 potato)
64 oz chicken stock or broth
16 oz can of diced tomato with juice
1 T freshly chopped tarragon (1 tsp. if dried)

Step 1:

This is my mise en place; all the ingredients are ready to go. Keep the potatoes in water so that they don't discolor. The slivered leeks are soaking in water. Leeks tend to be dirty, so you need to let the sediment fall to the bottom of the container. When you cook with leeks, trim off the leaves and use only the white part of the leek.

Step 2:

My chicken stock. I prefer paste over bullion, since the primary ingredient is real chicken, but you can use what you have.

Step 3:

Heat a suitable pot over moderate heat.

Add bacon and cook until about half way rendered (melted)--please don't burn! Here is what it should look like:

Step 4:

Add the Polish sausage and cook until lightly browned.

Step 5:

Add the onions, garlic, and leeks. Continue to cook and stir until the onions are translucent.

Step 6:

Add the russet potatoes, stock, and dice tomatoes with juice. Bring the soup up to a simmer and cook until the potatoes soften. The potatoes will eventually dissolve and thicken the soup.

Add the red potatoes and cook until tender. You should be able to poke the potatoes with a fork with no resistance. These red potatoes will not dissolve

Step 7:

Add the fresh tarragon, and salt and pepper to taste. I used about a tablespoon of pepper and a teaspoon of salt. Be careful with the salt because the bacon and sausage already have salt in them.

Step 8:

Enjoy your Potato Leek Chowder!