Roast Vegetable & Bacon Soup

I'm so excited that it's soup weather again!  Soups are healthy, easy, cheap and so tasty - a firm favourite in our household.  This one (adapted from www.taste.com.au) is not so quick, as the veges roast for a while - but as far as preparation time goes, it's not much at all.  The flavour of the roast veges is just delicious and so is the smokiness of the bacon.  My kids loved this one and I'm sure yours will too!

Ingredients
6 bacon rashers, rind and excess fat trimmed, coarsely chopped
2 red capsicums, halved, deseeded
2 leeks, pale section only, halved lengthways, sliced
700g orange sweet potato, peeled, cut into 2cm pieces
3 unpeeled garlic cloves
olive oil spray
750ml (3 cups) chicken stock
Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Method
Preheat oven to 180°C.

Place the bacon, capsicums, leeks, sweet potato and garlic in a large roasting pan. Spray with oil.

Bake in preheated oven, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour or until the sweet potato is golden and tender. 

Transfer the capsicums to a large plate and cover with plastic wrap. Set the remaining vegetable mixture aside for 10 minutes to cool slightly.

Peel the capsicums and roughly chop.  Squeeze the flesh from the garlic cloves and add to the veges.

Place the vegetables and stock in a large saucepan and stir.  Bring to the boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Use a stick blender to process until smooth.  Season with salt & pepper.

Optional: garnish with extra cooked bacon & fresh parsley.