The rain has been fairly relentless today (and much of yesterday).

It’s dark and miserable and FABULOUS (well, fabulous when you are inside, not when you are stuck in it).

So we are celebrating the cold with Potato, Leek and Bacon soup. Which comes from the April 1993 edition of Better Homes and Gardens and is mightily awesome and super-easy.

So awesome, that here is the recipe:

80g butter
200g bacon
5 leeks, washed and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 bayleaf
750g potatoes, peeled and cubed
6 cups chicken stock (infinitely better with home-made stock)
salt + freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup sour cream

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat.
Add the bacon, cook 2 minutes. Add the leeks and garlic, cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Stir in the celery, thyme and the bayleaf, cook 2 minutes. Add potatoes, stock and seasoning. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
Remove soup from heat.
Thin sour cream with a little hot stock, then whisk this mixture into the soup.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve immediately.
Serves 4.

And thank you to the amazing bus driver of the 438, who motioned me onto his bus when the 431 sailed (near-empty) merrily past my madly signalling arm, in the torrential rain, and then caught me up to the 431 several stops later (and did not charge me for the pleasure!)

I was so delighted, I sent an email to sydneybuses (I didn’t mention the freebie though, wouldn’t have liked for him to get into trouble).