Loaded Potato Soup

It's soup season. Coming in from the cold rain, there's nothing better than a hearty creamy soup to fill you with good cheer.

This is a fancier take on loaded potato soup. It is creamy, hearty, and packed with flavor. It’s topped with our crispy bacon, shredded cheese, and green onions, making it the ultimate comfort food for any time of year.

Ingredients

• 1 lb of smokey bacon (preferably Ex Libris Farm pasture-raised bacon)

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 2 medium onion, diced coarsely

• 5 medium celery stalks, diced

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, about

• 4 cups chicken broth

• 3 cups heavy cream

• 6 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced. About 4 lbs in 1 in cubes.

• 1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon thyme

• 1/2 teaspoon rosemary

• 1&1/2 cup shredded havarti

• 1/2 cup sour cream

• 1/4 cup chopped green onions

• 1/2 cup solena sherry

Instructions

1. Cook the Bacon: Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Cook the bacon until crispy, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Once cooled, dice into large, hearty pieces. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the rendered bacon fat.

2. Sauté the Aromatics: In a large pot, heat the reserved bacon grease and butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion, celery and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. I find it helpful to remove the aromatics from the pan to the side, even if it is annoying to do another dish.

3. Make the Roux: Start with 1-2 tbsp of bacon fat, and stir in the flour, allowing it to brown lightly, whisking constantly, to form a roux. Slowly add in the sherry, allowing it to cook down to about half. Add in the chicken broth and cream, whisking until smooth.

4. Cook the Potatoes: Add the diced potatoes to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 15–20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

5. Blend: remove half of the soup with a ladle and run it through a blender. I like to leave half of the soup unblended for a chunky finish.

6. Add the Cheese and Sour Cream: Stir in the shredded havarti and sour cream until fully combined. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

7. Serve and Garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls and top with crumbled bacon, additional shredded cheese, green onions, and any other desired toppings.