A hearty soup with Irish roots. A few simple ingredients produce rich flavor. Made with fresh leeks, crispy bacon, cheddar cheese and a heavy splash of Smithwick's Irish Ale. Sour cream and chives layer in for amazing flavor and rich creaminess.
Hearty splash of Smithwick's Irish alemore or less to taste - optional but adds amazing flavor
salt & pepperto taste
Garnish
fresh chiveschopped
½cupcheddar cheeseshredded
Instructions
Peel and cube potatoes and place in a large stockpot with chicken broth over medium-high heat.Boil about 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Reduce heat as needed to prevent potatoes from boiling over.
Cut bacon into small chunks and fry in a skillet over medium-high heat until crispy. About 10 minutes, stirring to evenly cook. Drain and reserve 3-4 tablespoon of gristle. Remove bacon bits as set aside.
Sauté sliced leeks in the skillet with reserved bacon gristle for 8 - 10 minutes or until translucent.
When potatoes are ready, stir in leeks, half and half, sour cream, ale and bacon. Use a hand mixer on low to puree slightly.Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve hot topped with cheddar cheese and fresh chives.
Notes
If you don't have Smithwick's Irish ale, you can substitute with a pale ale, malt vinegar or skip this all together.If you don't have an immersion blender, you can use an electric hand mixer or a whisk.