What do you get when you combine family roots from the heart of Dixie with a girl born and raised in California? With Lori Rogers, known as
Chef Lorious, you get new and innovative twists on classic recipes. In her first cookbook, Calibama Cooking, Lori puts it all together in a delicious collection of classic and contemporary comfort food recipes.
Each recipe in Calibama Cooking has easy-to-follow instructions, full color photos, tips and serving suggestions, and feel-good stories from Lori’s life. One of the recipes includes
Baked Potato and Bacon Soup:
Baked Potato and Bacon Soup
Initially, I considered not including this recipe because I figured we’ve all got enough potato soup recipes. But then I got to thinking, why not? It’s a family favorite, and it welcomes autumn into our home like nothing else can.
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
2 pounds bacon, cut into cubes
1 cup flour
5-6 cups chicken broth
3 pounds potatoes, baked, boiled, or microwaved until fork tender, peeled, and cut into cubes
1 teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1½ cups heavy whipping cream
For garnish:
shredded cheese
chives
sour cream
bacon
Directions:
In an 8-quart stockpot, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Set aside some of the cooked bacon to garnish the soup. Leave all of the bacon grease in the stockpot; you will use it to make a roux.
Add flour to the bacon in the stockpot and stir until absorbed by the bacon grease. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir constantly until the mixture begins to thicken.
Add cooked potatoes, nutmeg, and cayenne (if using). Stir well to combine. Add the heavy whipping cream and bring to a boil.
Let the soup simmer for about 10 minutes until all flavors are well combined. Taste to be sure it’s the way you want it.
Garnish with sour cream, cheese, bacon pieces, chives--whatever you like on your baked potato.
Tips
For a thicker soup, add an extra ¼ cup of flour at a time until desired thickness is achieved. Dissolve the flour in 1-3 cup of water or broth so it doesn’t get lumpy in the soup.
Don’t worry about pureeing or mashing the potatoes. As the soup simmers, they will melt into the liquid. Whatever pieces don’t fully dissolve will be delicious chunks of soft potatoes in your soup.
Note: Recipe and photo reprinted with permission from Calibama Cooking by Chef Lorious. Chef Lorious Media/November 2019.
