Saltgrass Style Baked Potato Soup Food

SALTGRASS STYLE BAKED POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Chop raw bacon into small pieces. Place in medium size skillet and cook over medium heat until well done.
• While bacon is cooking, chop onion, celery, and carrot. You will want a very fine chop on this. If available, place in electric food chopper or processor.
• Once bacon has finished cooking, transfer bacon and grease to a large stovetop stockpot or electric crockpot. (If cooking stovetop, place pot over burner on medium-low heat. For a crockpot, cook on high.) Then add chopped onion, celery and carrot. Thoroughly combine mixture.
• Finely chop green onion and then mince garlic. Add to pot and stir.
• Measure out black pepper, seasoned salt and white pepper. Add to pot and stir.
• Allow mixture to cook & flavors to meld while peeling and dicing potatoes. Roughly 15 minutes. (I recommend a smaller dice to your potatoes for a faster cooking time.).
• Add potatoes, chicken stock and heavy cream to pot. Mix thoroughly and allow to cook for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, or until potatoes are very soft .
• Once potatoes are done cooking, use immersion blender to thoroughly purée soup. Alternatively, divide soup mixture into two batches and purée in a countertop blender. (Tip: Keep your hand firmly pressed on the blender lid to prevent it from popping open. Hot liquids have the potential to create pressure inside the blender and make the lid pop off.).
• With puréed soup in pot, add shredded cheese and whisk until melted and thoroughly mixed.
• Prepare optional garnish and serve!

ROASTED POTATO LEEK SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Combine the potatoes and leeks on a sheet pan in a single layer. Add the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss to coat the vegetables evenly. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, turning them with a spatula a few times during cooking, until very tender. Add the arugula and toss to combine. Roast for 4 to 5 more minutes, until the arugula is wilted. Remove the pan from the oven and place over 2 burners. Stir in the wine and 1 cup of the chicken stock and cook over low heat, scraping up any crispy roasted bits sticking to the pan.
• In batches, transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor fitted with the steel blade, adding the pan liquid and about 5 cups of the chicken stock to make a puree. Pour the puree into a large pot or Dutch oven. Continue to puree the vegetables in batches until they're all done and combined in the large pot. Add enough of the remaining 1 to 2 cups of stock to make a thick soup. Add the cream, creme fraiche, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and check the seasonings.
• When ready to serve, reheat the soup gently and whisk in 2 tablespoons white wine and 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Serve hot with an extra grating of Parmesan and crispy shallots, if using.
• Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it reaches 220 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
• Reduce the heat to low, add the shallots, and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until they are a rich golden brown. The temperature should stay below 260 degrees F. Stir the shallots occasionally to make sure they brown evenly. Remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon, drain well, and spread out to cool on paper towels. Once they have dried and crisped, they can be stored at room temperature, covered, for several days.

CROCK POT - STYLE LOADED BAKED POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Combine first seven ingredients in a large crock pot; cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours (potato should be tender).
• Mash mixture until potatoes are coarsely chopped and soup is slightly thickened.
• Stir in cream, cheese and chives.
• Top with sour cream (if used), sprinkle with bacon and more cheese.