as the cobbler cools: chapter 1

today is sunday and it is snowy outside. well icy is more like it. and even though the few inches of ice and snow we received over the last 36 hours is starting to melt, we have decided to stay inside and hang with the puppies. and surprisingly, i did a bit of gardening today. i was seriously craving a creamy bowl of potato soup so of course it was a prefect time to go out and harvest the leeks. never mind the inches of ice covering the garden and the strange stares from the neighbors, yes, yes, today is a great day for gardening. a great day for bundling up and freezing my fingertips to just this side of frostbite while trying to yank leeks from the frozen ground. well, okay, that might be a bit of an exaggeration. but it was cold.  not to mention, lord only knows how long ago I planted the leeks and if they were even still good. but they looked ok, and tasted ok, so I think they were okay. besides what harm could come from eating an old leek? will my kidneys rejected them; will liver failure set in tomorrow? never the less, we ate them anyway.

leeks under ice. 

the carnage.

the harvest. 

washed and cleaned. 

a little bowl of sunshine. 

cooked in bacon fat and getting ready for the soup. 

mashing the potatoes for the soup. 

potato soup. 

you know you want some. 

my rustic, and so not refined, potato and leek soup

about 6-7 good sized potatoes  

 cleaned, cubed, skins left on, and steamed till soft

a bunch of leeks from the garden

cleaned, sliced, seasoned with S&P, and sauteed in bacon fat

(that's right...bacon fat!!!!)

bacon

fried up in a pan, cooled, and then cut up for garnish

raw milk and raw butter

salt and pepper

shredded cheese of choice

mash steamed potatoes and sauteed leeks together in a bowl. transfer to a pot set over medium heat and plop in a nice size chunk of butter. add a little bit of milk and stir. continue to add in milk till you get the consistency you like. (i like mine thick and chunky, and ray likes the skins. but i guess you could run the mixture through a food mill if you are so inclined) heat through. salt and pepper to taste. ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheese and bacon.

now it's time to go and check to see if the cobbler has cooled........

to be continued.