Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients

• 3.3 lb Baking potatoes (Russets or Maris Pipers)
• 2.5 cup Chicken stock (Good quality)
• 1 cup Heavy cream (Double cream; preferably at room temperature)
• 0.5 cup Whole milk (Use 0.5 cup initially and reserve the remainder from the source range (up to 1 cup / 250 ml total) to thin the soup; preferably at room temperature)
• 1 cup Cheddar (Stir into the soup; extra to serve)
• 6 slices Streaky bacon (Dice after frying)
• 2 ribs Celery (Finely diced)
• 1 medium Onion (Finely diced)
• 1 clove Garlic (Large; finely diced)
• Sour cream (To serve)
• Fresh chives (Finely diced; to serve)
• Salt (To taste; the recipe specifies 1/2 tsp for seasoning the soup, plus a good pinch for the potatoes and potato skins)
• Black pepper (To taste; the recipe specifies 1/4 tsp for seasoning the soup, plus a good pinch for the potatoes and potato skins)
• Olive oil (As needed; drizzle over potatoes and skins, and add more to the pot if needed)

Steps

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 200°C/390°F. Put the potatoes on a large baking tray and prick each one a few times with a fork.

2. 2

   Drizzle the potatoes with olive oil and season with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Bake for about 1 hour, or until deep golden, crisp outside and soft through the centre. Check them as they cook, since timing depends on potato size.

3. 3

   With about 20 minutes of baking time remaining, put the bacon in a large pot over low-medium heat. Fry until crisp and most of its fat has rendered. Remove the bacon, leaving the fat in the pot, and dice it just before serving.

4. 4

   Raise the heat under the pot slightly to medium. Add the celery, onion and garlic to the bacon fat and gently sweat until soft and just beginning to colour. Add a little olive oil if needed.

5. 5

   When the potatoes are cooked and cool enough to handle, cut each into 4 wedges, or 6 if very large. Scoop the potato flesh into a bowl and set it aside.

6. 6

   Return the potato skins to the baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and season with a good pinch of salt and pepper.

7. 7

   Bake the skins again at the oven’s highest temperature for about 5 minutes, or until visibly crisp.

8. 8

   Add the potato flesh to the pot with the softened vegetables. Pour in all the chicken stock and 1/2 cup of the milk, reserving the rest.

9. 9

   Break up the potato with a wooden spoon, then blend the soup with a hand blender in short bursts until smooth. Avoid over-blending, which can make the potato soup gluey.

10. 10

    Stir in the cream and bring the soup to a gentle simmer.

11. 11

    Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste.

12. 12

    Turn off the heat and stir in 1 cup of cheddar. Use the reserved milk to thin the soup to your preferred consistency.

13. 13

    Serve portions topped with extra cheddar, diced bacon, a dollop of sour cream and finely diced chives. Serve the crispy potato skins alongside as dunkers.

Notes

Whole milk is recommended, preferably at room temperature; semi-skimmed milk can be substituted, but avoid adding it straight from the refrigerator to the hot stock. Sharp or mature cheddar is suggested. Blend in short bursts and avoid over-blending to prevent a gluey texture. The author is unsure whether the soup freezes well because the cream and potatoes may change texture.

Nutrition per serving

• soup
• main
• comfort food
• American
• vegetarian-free
• baked
• creamy
• gluten-free