Bacon, Celeriac, and Chard Stem Soup
A great soup to make on Sunday night with chard stems leftover from Saturday dinner, bacon from breakfast, and a few gnarled celeriac and onions. Dress it up with chopped fresh parsley or chopped red pepper if you have it on hand. The soup can be pureed or left in chunks, rustic style.
Ingredients
- 2 T extra virgin olive oil or leftover bacon fat
- 2 medium yellow onions peeled and chopped
- 12 oz chard stems sliced
- 12 oz celeriac peeled, trimmed, and chopped
- 1 lb potatoes (russet or yukon) peeled, if necessary, and chopped
- 4 or 5 slices cooked bacon chopped
- 5 to 6 cups water or stock (chicken or vegetable)
- salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a stock or soup pot and add the chopped onions. Sauté stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and translucent (about 5 minutes). Toss in the chard stems, chopped celeriac, chopped potato, and about a 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Sauté for another minute or two until the vegetables just take on a bit of color, then add the stock or water and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover the soup, and simmer gently for 30-45 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
If you are pureeing the soup, transfer in batches to a blender or Vitamix and blend until smooth, then return to a clean pot, stir in the bacon, taste, and adjust seasonings.