Irish Baked Potato Soup with Corned Beef and Crispy Leeks — Close Enough, Babcia

I fought Big Mike. Thursday night, first round of playoffs. Lake Country Destroyers. They came out hitting hard, which was expected. Five minutes into the second period, their center slashed our goalie. I dropped my gloves. Big Mike dropped his. He's got four inches and thirty pounds on me, but I've been fighting guys bigger than me since high school — that's literally what an enforcer does. The fight lasted about twenty seconds. I got two good shots in, he got one that caught me on the cheek, and then the refs pulled us apart. Five minutes each for fighting. I sat in the penalty box with a swollen cheek and a grin. We won 5-3. Playoff hockey. There's nothing like it. The rest of the team went to a bar after. I went home and put a bag of frozen peas on my face and ate leftover chili. This is the life of a twenty-year-old enforcer: get punched, go home, eat chili. At the brewery, Fireside is almost ready for release. I've been doing quality checks — pulling samples, checking carbonation, making sure the flavor profile is consistent across the batch. It is. The cinnamon is warm but restrained, the nutmeg is barely there (which is what you want — nutmeg should be felt more than tasted), and the malt backbone is rich and sweet without being heavy. I'm proud of this beer. Genuinely proud. Mom noticed my swollen cheek on Sunday. "What happened to your face?" "Hockey." She gave me the Mom look — that combination of disapproval and resignation that says "I don't like this but I know I can't stop you." Dad looked at my cheek, looked at Mom, and said, "Looks fine to me." Kowalski men. Babcia made kapuśniak — sauerkraut soup with pork. It's one of those dishes that smells like nothing special but tastes like everything good. Simple ingredients, long simmer, deep flavor. I asked Babcia for the recipe and she said, "I don't have a recipe. I just cook." Great, Babcia. Super helpful. I'll figure it out on my own. The election is next week. Dad says he's not voting for either of them, which is Dad's way of saying he's voting but not telling anyone. Mom says she's praying for the country. Babcia says she's been through worse. I believe her.

Babcia said she doesn’t have a recipe—she just cooks—and I believe her, which means I’m on my own trying to recreate that same feeling: simple ingredients, long simmer, something that makes a busted-up face feel a little better. I couldn’t nail kapu┼¢niak on the first try, but this Irish baked potato soup with corned beef got surprisingly close in spirit—it’s got that same salty, smoky depth, that same “nothing fancy but somehow everything” quality she pulls off without thinking. It’s become my go-to when I need a bowl of something that actually means something.

Irish Baked Potato Soup with Corned Beef and Crispy Leeks

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 40 min | Total Time: 55 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 lbs russet potatoes (about 4 large), peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 lb cooked corned beef, roughly chopped or shredded
• 2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
• 4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups chicken or beef broth (low sodium)
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream, plus more for serving
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds (optional but recommended)
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Fresh chives or parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

1. Crisp the leeks. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sliced leeks with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes until golden and starting to crisp at the edges. Remove leeks to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside for topping.
2. Render the bacon. In the same pot over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crispy, about 5–6 minutes. Transfer bacon to the plate with the leeks, leaving about 1 tablespoon of fat in the pot.
3. Build the base. Add butter and remaining olive oil to the bacon fat. Add the diced onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, smoked paprika, and caraway seeds (if using) and cook another 60 seconds until fragrant.
4. Simmer the potatoes. Add the diced potatoes and broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a steady simmer. Cook uncovered for 15–18 minutes until potatoes are completely tender and beginning to fall apart at the edges.
5. Mash and finish. Use a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon to roughly mash about half the potatoes directly in the pot—you want it thick and rustic, not completely smooth. Stir in the milk and sour cream over low heat. Add the corned beef and 3/4 of the shredded cheddar, stirring until the cheese is fully melted. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
6. Serve. Ladle into bowls and top with the reserved crispy leeks, bacon crumbles, remaining cheddar, a small dollop of sour cream, and fresh chives or parsley.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 420 | Protein: 22g | Fat: 22g | Carbs: 36g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 890mg