759. CREAMY SHALLOT and ENDIVE SOUP with BACON

2 Tablespoons butter
8 shallots, peeled and minced
8 Belgian endives, washed, trimmed, and sliced thin on a diagonal
4 cups of chicken stock
6 slices of bacon, cooked crisp
1 Tablespoon minced chervil or tarragon, minced (or 1/4 teaspoon, rubbed between your palms)
salt and white pepper to taste
1 egg yolk whisked into 1 cup of whipping cream

Garnish: 2 reserved strips of bacon, crumbled, with a sprig of parsley or basil leaf

Saute the shallots in the butter in a large saucepan, stirring until they are soft. Add the endive and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes. Add the stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in 4 strips of crisp bacon, crumbled, chervil or tarragon, salt and pepper. Remember to add more salt if you're going to serve cold. Bring the soup to a low heat and whisk in the cream and egg yolk, stirring until thickened. When ready to serve, ladle into soup plates and top with crumbled bacon and herb garnish.


courtesy of: Patricia G. Solley, Soup Song