Cream of Bacon Soup Experiment

I was always threatening to make it and everyone always thought it was a great idea, but somehow I never got around to it.  But this time the challenge was made and I accepted.  The following recipe is my own although I did get some good advice from tweeps  such as, “start with a roux” and pair with a Sauvignon Blanc.  My post begins with a blow by blow description of the process but I provide the full ingredient list with shorter directions at the end.

Start by chopping all the vegetables into small dice and setting aside in a small bowl.

Add flour slowly to butter and mix thoroughly.  Cook vegetable/flour mixture until light brown, this will be a somewhat dry, pasty mixture and might form into a ball.

Cream of Bacon Soup Recipe

Ingredients:
½ cup carrots – diced small
½ cup celery – diced small
1 large shallot – diced small
3 large cloves of garlic chopped fine (or more)
6 slices thick cut smoked bacon – diced small
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup flour
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
sliced chives or green onion for garnish

Directions:
1. Cook bacon in large soup kettle on low heat until barely crisp but not hard
2. Remove bacon with slotted spoon and set aside
3. Add vegetable mixture to bacon fat
4. Cover and cook vegetables on low heat until carrots are soft
5. Add butter to vegetable mixture and brown slightly
6. Add flour slowly to butter and mix thoroughly
7. Cook vegetable/flour mixture until light brown, this will be a somewhat dry, pasty vegetable/flour mixture and might form a ball
8. Slowly add broth over medium heat stirring to smooth consistency
9. Simmer slowly for 5 minutes
10. Puree vegetable/broth mixture until smooth
11. Add white pepper and cayenne
12. Add cream and bacon and heat through
13. Serve in bowls, garnish and serve while hot