Potato-Leek Soup with Sage & Thyme

What you’ll need:

• ~10 red skin potatoes (or whatever potato variety you’d like to use)
• 1 locally raised and prepared sweet Italian sausage
• 2-3 leeks
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 shallots
• 1 large carrot
• 4-5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1/2 – 3/4 cup cream/half and half (optional)
• ~5-6 leaves fresh sage
• ~4-6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• olive oil
• 1-2 TBSP organic butter, from local, happy cows
• salt and pepper
• chives for garnish (optional)

Making your soup:

1. Peel and finely chop potatoes.  Set aside.
2. Thinly slice carrot into round pieces.  Set aside.
3. Cut off both ends of the 2-3 leeks and throw out (compost).  Thinly slice remaining sections of the leeks.
4. Mince 2 cloves garlic.
5. Mince/Finely chop peeled shallots.
6. Heat 1-2 TBSP butter in soup pot.  Remove casing from sausage and crumble meat into pot.  Brown on med heat ~5 minutes.
7. Add carrots, leeks, garlic, and shallots to pot and cook until translucent, ~5 minutes.
8. Add 1/2 cup white wine.  Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer ~15-20 minutes.
9. Add chopped thyme (~4-6 sprigs) and sage (~5-6 leaves), 4-5 cups chicken stock, potatoes, & salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer ~20-30 minutes, until potatoes are soft and soup tastes flavorful.
10. (optional) Add 1/2 cup – 3/4 cup half and half or cream.  Stir to combine with soup.
11. Remove pot from heat.  Either mash in pot with a potato masher or for more blended soup, blend with an immersion blender or food processor.
12. Serve with garnish of chopped chives or fresh thyme.