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1
Chop the leeks into half circles. Use mostly white parts, but throw in a little bit of the green as well. Discard the rest of the leek (dark green) or save in the freezer to make stock at a later date.
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2
In a dutch oven or large pot over medium heat, melt the butter and combine the olive oil in the pot once the butter is melted.
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3
Add the leeks, onion, shallot, garlic, and salt and sweat for 5 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook until the leeks and onions are tender, approximately 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Note: Make sure to pay attention to the leeks and garlic, do not let these burn!)
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4
Add the potatoes and the chicken broth to the pot, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low once a boil is achieved, cover the pot, and simmer until the potatoes are soft, approximately 35-45 minutes.
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5
Turn off the heat and puree the mixture by scooping into a food processor with a measuring cup or use an immersion blender. Puree until the soup is no longer chunky or until the desired smoothness is achieved. I sometimes remove some of the potatoes prior to pureeing and add them back to the pot after to create a chunkier soup.
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6
Stir in the milk, buttermilk, and pepper.
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7
Turn the heat on to medium low and bring to a low simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.
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8
Serve the soup topped with crumbled bacon and diced chives.
