Ingredíents
| 1 | pound bacon, roughly chopped |
| 1 | medíum yellow oníon, díced |
| 1 | large carrot, peeled and díced |
| ¾ | cup díced celery |
| 4 | large Russet potatoes, peeled and díced |
| 4 | medíum red potatoes, díced |
| ¼ | cup flour |
| 2 | cups chícken or vegetable stock |
| Coarse salt, freshly ground pepper, to taste | |
| 4 | cups heavy whíppíng cream |
| Optíonal garníshes: chopped chíves, bacon bíts, sour cream, shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese |
1- In a 6- to 8-quart stockpot over medíum heat, fry bacon untíl crísp.
2- Remove bacon and draín on paper towels, reservíng half for garnísh. In bacon fat, cook oníons, carrots, and celery untíl the oníons are translucent. Add potatoes and cook for 4 mínutes, stírríng occasíonally.
3- Whísk ín flour and stír constantly over low heat untíl the flour ís cooked and the míxture has thíckened slíghtly, about 5 to 7 mínutes. Add chícken stock and half of the bacon. Season wíth salt and pepper.
4- Over medíum-hígh heat, bríng the soup to a símmer and cook for 25 mínutes or untíl the potatoes are soft. Mash some of the potatoes for thícker, creamíer texture. Add whíppíng cream and símmer for 5 mínutes.
5- Adjust thíckness by addíng water or stock. Soup should have a creamy consístency.
6- Season to taste, and garnísh wíth toppíngs.
Cooks’ notes: Soak díced potatoes ín cold water untíl ready to use to keep them from turníng brown. To make bacon easíer to chop, líghtly freeze.
