Cheese & Bacon Soup

We had high hopes for a ton of soups in January and February, but many of the scheduled soups got pushed back due to rescheduled activities and such.  But, we did have a few soups that were absolutely awesome, and we wanted to share them with you.


Cheese & Bacon Soup


2 Tbsp. butter
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large onion, thinly sliced
8 ounces smoked lean bacon, chopped (we used chopped pancetta)
2 large leeks, trimmed and thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
4 C. vegetable stock
4 Yukon gold potatoes, chopped
1/2 C. heavy cream
2.5 C. shredded cheddar cheese (plus extra for garnish)
Salt/Pepper


Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring for about 3 minutes, until slightly softened.  Add the chopped bacon and leeks and cook for an additional 3 minutes, stirring.


In a bowl, mix the flour with enough stock to make a smooth paste, then stir it into the pan.  Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.  Pour in the remaining stock, then add the potatoes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and cooked through.


Stir in the cream and cook for 5 minutes, then gradually stir in the cheese until melted.  Ladle into warm bowls.  Garnish with shredded cheddar cheese and serve immediately.

Recipe from Good Food Made Simple:  Soup. p.158