Gatekeeper's Rich Potato Soup

 

INGREDIENTS

        2 ½ lbs raw potatoes, peeled (russets or your choice)  or left over baked potatoes

        4 cups chicken stock

        2 cups milk

        1 cup heavy cream

        ½ cup sour cream

        1/3 cup all purpose flour

        5 green onions

        1 bell pepper  (½ red ½ yellow or orange)

        3-4 cloves of fresh garlic

        4-6 strips of bacon (depending on thickness)

        4 TBL butter

        1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

        1 ½ tsp coarse or ground sea salt

        1 tsp of Gatekeeper’s Original Meat Rub (smoked paprika base)

        1 cup grated cheddar or mixed cheese

 

INSTRUCTIONS

            Cut potatoes no larger than 1 inch cubes.  Medium dice ( ½ inch) bell peppers and green onions. Keep the white and green parts of the onions separated (can use medium diced white onion if you have any in partial ones in the frig…to taste).  Set the green onion stems aside for garnishing. Mince garlic.  Chop bacon into small pieces.  Sauté bacon in cast iron Dutch oven until crisp.  Remove bacon. Leave bacon grease in Dutch oven.  Add butter and sauté onions, peppers and garlic (3-5 min) in bacon grease.  Sprinkle flour and stir/whisk until smooth.  Add chicken stock, milk, cream, Gatekeeper’s Original Meat Rub, salt & pepper, and potatoes. Bring to boil and cook until potatoes are fork tender (often I boil the potatoes separately, drain them, and then add them to the soup...either way). Use emersion blender or hand potato dicer and mash about half of the potatoes (a blender or food processor will almost always over blend the potatoes).  Add sour cream, cheese and about half the bacon (use the rest to garnish when serving). Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with green onion, bacon and cheese (a dollop of sour cream if desired).  To make it vegetarian, just eliminate the bacon and sauté in butter and olive oil.
Serves 6-8 people

I have ONE secret ingredient that is not listed here.  Also, this is a "suggested" guide which can be altered in various ways with a good outcome.  I never make this soup exactly the same way twice. I like to experiment...which is how I came up with my "secret" ingredient.