German Potato Soup (Kartoffelsuppe)

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 100g smoked bacon lardons
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 leek, sliced and washed
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 small celeriac, diced (or 2 celery sticks)
• 800g floury potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1.2 litres beef or vegetable stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp dried marjoram
• 2 Frankfurter or Wiener sausages, sliced
• Salt and white pepper to taste
• Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, to serve

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat and fry the bacon for 4 minutes. Add the onion, leek, carrots and celeriac and cook for 8 minutes.

2. Add the potatoes, stock, bay leaves and marjoram. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 25 minutes until the potatoes are very soft.

3. Remove the bay leaves. Crush about a third of the potatoes against the side of the pan to thicken the soup, leaving it chunky.

4. Add the sausage slices and heat through for 5 minutes. Season to taste and serve scattered with parsley.