Creamy Cheddar and Potato Soup with Bacon
6 servings
2 large potatoes, diced
½ cup chopped
celery
½ cup chopped
carrots
½ cup chopped
onion
About 3 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups chicken broth
½ cup milk
A few grindings of
fresh black pepper
½ pound shredded
white sharp cheddar cheese
6 slices crispy,
cooked bacon, crumbled
1.
Place the potatoes, celery, carrots,
and onions in a large pot with just enough water to cover the medley. Add salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover, decrease heat
slightly and cook for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes
and vegetables are fork-tender. Add the chicken broth.
2.
In
a food processor or blender, purée the soup in
batches. Transfer the puréed batches into a large
bowl. Add the milk to the last batch and season with pepper. Transfer all the puréed soup back into original large pot and stir to
blend.
3.
Heat the soup over moderate heat and slowly stir
in the cheese. When the cheese has melted, ladle the soup into 6 serving bowls and top each
bowl with crumbled bacon.
