SMOKED BACON, BEAN AND LEEK CHOWDER

Ingredients

1 tbsp oil
150g thick cut smoked bacon, chopped
25g butter
1 onion, finely chopped
2 large leeks (around 400g), halved and finely shredded
2 tbsp plain flour
1.2 litres hot vegetable stock
400g can haricot beans, drained
195g can sweetcorn, drained
100ml double cream
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Method

1 Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan, add the bacon and cook for 3-4 minutes until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the butter to the same pan, add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add the leeks, cook for 2 minutes, then stir in the flour and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2 Add the stock to the pan, whisk until smooth, bring to the boil, stirring as it bubbles. Reduce the heat and stir in the beans and sweetcorn. Simmer for 15 minutes until the leeks are tender. Return the bacon to the pan, heat through and stir in the cream and parsley, reserving a little of each to garnish.