Leek and potato soup with mustardy toasts and bacon bits

I love making a big batch of soup at this time of year. It seems like the right sort of thing to be doing on a cold day. It is also a handy lunch for work - I freeze individual portions and take them to work still frozen solid (no worry about leaks or spillages) and by lunchtime they have defrosted, ready to pop in the microwave. Only trouble with this one though is that I can hardly start frying bacon and grilling cheesy toasts to go with it!

Once I had made this leek and potato soup last week, I simply knew that I had to combine it with bacon, cheese and mustard in some form. Delicious!

Leek and potato soup with cheesy mustard toasts and bacon bits

Serves 4

1lb potatoes, peeled and diced small

1lb leeks, finely sliced

1 medium onion, finely sliced

3 tablespoons sunflower oil

2 pints vegetable (or chicken) stock

6 rashers smoky bacon

8 slices of baguette

Good handful grated Gruyere or other hard cheese of choice

2 tblsp grainy mustard

1. Heat oil in a deep saucepan and add leeks, onion and potatoes - sweat until translucent and potatoes are starting to soften.

2. Add stock and bring to boil. Simmer for around 50 minutes.

3. Ten minutes before soup is ready, cut bacon into small bits and fry until crispy.

4. Smear mustard over the baguette slices and top with grated cheese. Grill until bubbling and golden.

5. Blitz the soup in a blender or use a stab-mix - blend until smooth. Add more stock if too thick. Season to taste. Serve with bacon bits and cheesy toasts. Stir in a little cream if you prefer a creamier soup.