1/2 lb. bacon, chopped

  • saute in dutch oven until browned, 5-10 minutes
  • remove and drain excess grease

1/2 onion, diced
6 baby carrots, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced

  • saute onion and carrots in bacon drippings until softened, about 5 minutes
  • add garlic and saute for 2 minutes

1 1/2 lbs. potatoes (about 4 medium), peeled and cubed
2 cups chicken stock

  • add potatoes to the post and saute for 4 minutes
  • add bacon and stock, loosely cover, and simmer for 15 minutes

2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
1/2 cup cream
1/2 tsp. tarragon
1/2 tsp. cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

  • melt butter in a separate pan and mix in flour to make a roux
  • add cream and herbs, bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until thickened, about 5 minutes
  • add to potatoes and stir to combine
  • remove about half of the mixture to a blender and puree, then return to the pot
  • season with salt and pepper, to taste

source: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/13218/absolutely-ultimate-potato-soup/

11/06/2024: made this last night and it was ok, but even halved the recipe was a lot. i got the roux ratio slightly off, which wound up making the soup thicker than planned. i also pureed the whole thing (because dental issues prevent me from chewing) which probably didn’t help the texture. lastly, i used my homemade bacon, which provided good flavor, but less fat than expecting because it’s already been smoked. this led to a patina that deglazed and made the color too beige. next time i will either clean the patina off or cook the bacon in a separate pan.