334. POTATO SOUP with BACON and GORGONZOLA CHEESE

serves 4


4 slices bacon, diced
1 cup chopped yellow onion
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 large russet potatoes (about 1½ lb.), peeled and cubed
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock or broth
2 cups milk
¼ cup chopped parsley
3/4 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 oz. crumbled Gorgonzola or blue cheese for topping (optional)

In a large soup pot over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate, leaving 2 tablespoons bacon drippings in pan. Add onion and celery to pan and saute until vegetables are slightly tender, about 6 minutes. Add potatoes and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature to medium-low and simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer 1 cup of the vegetables to a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Return to pan and add milk and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and reheat over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with bacon and cheese.


courtesy of: The Big Book of Soups & Stews, by Maryana Vollstedt. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2001, p. 224