• 8 medium sized Russet or Yukon potatoes (about 1.5-2 pounds)
• 3 medium sized leeks, peeled and sliced
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 large slices of bacon or to taste (optional)
• stock (vegetable or chicken)
• 1 tsp of sweet Hungarian paprika (make sure it is authentic)
• 1/2 tsp of fennel seeds
• 1-3 thyme springs
• 2 dried bay leaves
• handful of chopped up lovage
• 1/2-1 cup of cream
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• crushed hot red pepper flakes to taste
• Parmesan cheese to serve

Preparation

• Wash and slice up leeks. Slice leeks thin with a sharp knife. Use more the white part (cook the greenish part in the stock or discard). Put the sliced leeks in a bowl of cold water for 1/2 hour. This will get all the dirt out of the leeks. Clean well. Strain the liquid using a colander or pat dry. 
• If you decide to keep the peel on the potatoes, clean and soak potatoes in some cold water for 1/2 hour. Scrub off any dirt. If you decide to peel potatoes, you can skip this step and just peel and slice the potatoes thin.
• Sauté leek slices in some butter for about 10 minutes or until you can smell the aroma of the leeks. Add 1 tsp of paprika and fennel seeds to activate for 1 minute and stir. Add 1/4 tsp cold water, stir. 
• Fry up some sliced bacon if you decide to use it. 
• Add potatoes and bacon to the leeks. Pour in the stock enough to barely cover the vegetables. Add the thyme and bay leaves. Start heating the soup carefully until it starts bubbling but not boiling. Quickly, turn the heat down and slowly cook for 1/2 hour. 
• Clean and cut up lovage.
• When soup is done, add the lovage. It doesn’t need to cook. 
• Add cream, salt, black pepper, hot red pepper flakes.
• Serve hot with a little Parmesan cheese.