Potato, Leek and Broccoli Soup

Hi all–  It rained all day today, and yesterday too.  And I hear there’s rain coming tomorrow.  I’m not complaining.  Lord knows we need all the rain we can get here in Socal!  But the weather just called for another pot of soup for dinner.  This is the nicest kind of good old potato soup, a pretty green, creamy with a nice bit of crunch from the croutons and bacon.  Good rainy day food.

POTATO, LEEK & BROCCOLI SOUP
6 tab. butter (3/4 stick)
3 leeks, sliced, the white & light green parts only
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut in thin slices
1 small head of broccoli, the florets chopped to bits
1  14 oz. can chicken broth
3 cups water
salt to taste (about 1/3 tsp.)
a dash of freshly group pepper
Croutons (recipe below)
a couple sprigs of thyme (or your favorite herb)
3 strips of bacon, cut to bits and cooked til crispy

Drop the butter into a heated soup pot and add the potatoes, leeks and broccoli.  Cook over high heat for ten minutes, stirring now and then.  Then pour in the chicken broth and 3 cups of water.  Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to simmer for 10 more minutes until all the vegies are tender.  Take the pan off the heat and puree the whole potful with a stick blender (or do it in batches in a food processor).  Stir in the salt and pepper (taste to see if you want a bit more).  Put it back on the burner and reheat a minute or two so it’s piping hot.  Serve it in pretty bowls with a few croutons, some bacon  crispy bits and a sprinkling of thyme leaves.

CROUTONS
Take a couple slices of sourdough bread and cut off the crusts.  Brush both sides with a small amount of melted butter and sprinkle lightly with garlic salt.  Cut the slices into neat little cubes and throw them into the oven on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 10 minutes until they are toasty brown.

P.S.  The original recipe I worked from called for 2 cups of cream or half & half to be added to the soup just before it’s reheated at the end.  I skipped that.  But it you want a richer, smoother soup, it would be lovely.