Potato Leek Soup

This is our favourite potato soup. If you have not cooked with leeks before, cut the tops and the roots off, split them in half, and clean them well under running water, separating the leaves a bit to wash out any sand that is hiding there.

3 leeks
1 onion
3 Tbsp. butter
4 medium potatoes
2 cups vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper
1/2 cup of milk (optional)

Slice leeks and chop onions. Fry them in the butter until soft (8-10 minutes). Peel and cut potatoes into chunks and add them to the pot. Add stock and seasonings. Add extra hot water to cover the potatoes if needed. Cover with a lid and cook 20 minutes until potatoes are soft. Add milk. Take the pot off the heat. Remove the bay leaf and puree the soup. I like to use an immersion blender for this. Add grated cheddar cheese to garnish bowls of soup if desired. Some crumbled, cooked bacon would not go amiss as garnish either, but the soup is delicious on its own.