Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients

Potatoes 7

Bacon 100g

Onion 1

Celery (root) 50g

Chicken broth 6 cups

Salt to taste

Ground black pepper 1/8 tsp

20% cream 30 ml

Cheddar cheese

Sour cream

Green onions

Wash the potatoes without peeling them. Poke holes in them with the tines of a fork or a paring knife (to prevent them from bursting from the internal pressure during cooking).

Place on foil and bake at 200°C for 1 hour, or until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a knife. Remove from heat and let cool. To speed up cooling, cut in half lengthwise.

Slice the bacon thinly. Place in a heavy-bottomed frying pan. Fry over high heat until the bacon is browned, then reduce the heat to medium. Remove the cooked bacon and set aside. Reserve only 1 tablespoon of the remaining fat in the pan. Pour the remaining fat into a jar and let it cool and harden.

Add the chopped onion and celery to the remaining fat in the pan. Cook for 2 minutes over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.

When the potatoes are cool enough, place them in a bowl and mash. Then add them to the prepared onion and celery mixture, along with 6 cups of chicken broth. Add a teaspoon of salt and bring to a simmer. Bring the soup to a boil and reduce the heat to low.

Simmer the potato soup for 5 minutes, then blend until halfway through or completely blended, depending on the desired consistency. Add a little heavy cream, if desired, and salt and pepper to taste.

Pour into bowls and toss with grated cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onions, and crispy bacon.

Enjoy!