Step 1

Pre-heat oven to 400 F (200°C).

Step 2

Peel off the paper-like outer layer of the garlic bulb, leaving intact the skins of the individual cloves and being careful to keep the bulb as a whole.

Step 3

Cut the top part of the garlic in order to expose the upper part of every clove (see video).

Step 4

Drizzle a few drops of oil onto each clove.

Step 5

Place garlic bulb in cocotte and cover (or lack thereof wrap in aluminum foil).

Step 6

Put garlic in the preheated oven for about 40-50 minutes or until cloves are soft and golden and caramelized. They should pop right out of their skins (see video).

Step 7

Crisp bacon on a baking sheet for 20-25 minutes at the same time.

Step 8

Wash and slice leek.

Step 9

Preheat a big pot over medium heat.

Step 10

Once hot, add a splash of avocado oil and add sliced leek. Reduce heat to medium-low.

Step 11

Caramelize leek on medium-low heat by stirring often. This takes about 15 minutes.

Step 12

While leek is caramelizing and in-between stirring peel and dice potatoes into about 1" (2.5cm) cubes.

Step 13

Once leek is caramelized, add broth and peeled diced potatoes. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low again, cover and let simmer until potatoes are cooked through.

Step 14

Once garlic is out of the oven and soft and tender and cold enough to handle, remove cloves from peel and add to bubbling soup.

Step 15

Transfer into a blender in 2-3 batches, or use an immersion blender to blend and season with more sea salt and pepper if necessary.

Step 16

Serve hot with crumbled up crispy bacon and freshly chopped parsley.