- 4
Ingredients
- EVOO
- 6 slices lean, smoky bacon, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
- 3 small celery ribs from the heart, finely chopped
- 2 small or medium carrots
- 3 leeks, trimmed of rough tops and root ends
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and black pepper
- 3 medium-sized starchy potatoes, such as Idaho, peeled
- 2 quarts chicken stock
- 1 15-ounce can petite diced tomatoes, drained
- A handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
- Crusty bread for dunking
Preparation
Step 1
Heat a medium soup pot or deep-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of EVOO and the bacon to the hot pan. Cook the bacon until it's brown and crisp. Remove the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate and reserve. Drain off all but 2 tbsp of the remaining fat and return to the heat. Add the chopped celery and cook over medium heat. As the celery cooks, use the vegetable peeler to make long, thin strips of the carrots. Chop the thin strips into small bits or carrot chips, 1/2 inch wide. Add the chips to the celery and stir. Halve the leeks lengthwise and then cut into 1/2-inch half moons. Place the slices into a colander and run them under cold water, separating all the laers to wash away all the trapped grit. When the leeks are clean, shake off the water and add them to the celery and carrots. Stir the veggies together, add the bay leaf, and season them with salt and pepper. While the leeks cook to wilt, 3 to 4 minutes, slice the potatoes.
Cut each potato crosswise into thirds. Stand each potato third upright and thinly slice it. The pieces will look like raw potato chips.
Add the stock to the vegetables and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and add the potatoes and tomatoes. Cook them for 8 to 10 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and starting to break up a bit. Add the bacon and parsley and stir. Discard the bay leaf and adjust the seasonings. Serve immediately with crusty bread.