Recipe of the Week: Creamy Potato Cheese Soup

I tried this recipe with friends a few weeks back and it turned out to be a wonderful treat. I’ve never made something quite like this, but was able to pitch in with some stirring and seasoning as the master chef stewed his creamy concoction.

• 1 lb. thick sliced bacon, peppered, fried well and drained on paper towel
• 6 Idaho potatoes and 2 red potatoes
• 1 - 32 oz. Emeril's chicken stock
• 1 - 32 oz. Emeril's vegetable stock
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, pressed
• 1/2 pint of half and half
• 1 - 8 oz. package of expensive, creamy sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• Six or seven stalks of celery.
• 1/2 of one of those bags of slivered carrots stores sell
• Some beer
• 4 - Tbsp. butter
• Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• Tabasco, to taste
• Fresh grounded chili pepper corns, to taste
• A big pinch of chopped parsley

Cut five or six Idaho potatoes into cubes and soak them in cold, salted water.

Fry the onion and garlic in virgin olive oil until translucent in a large pot on the stove. Then dump the stock in and bring it to a boil. When the stock boils, dump the cubed potatoes in and they will slowly disappear into the mixture. Add bacon, chopped celery and carrots, and some grated cheese.

Dump a little beer in to give it some extra flavor with the broth.

Then add the red potatoes, bacon, cream, cheese and spices until you’re happy with the flavor and consistency. Let the pot simmer until it’s hot and soft.