“Six more weeks of winter”, says Punxsutawney Phil! DARN!! Time for a batch of soup and some toasted garlic bread. Soothing and easy to make. I made this for supper last night. Serves one really big bowl of soup or two smaller bowls. If you use the homemade salt pork..you can skip the salt.

Triple Smoked Potato Soup

1 cup smoked ham (large dice)
3 oz. Tasso or homemade Smoked Salt Pork (small dice)recipe is at the bottom of the highlighted article
5 strips smoked bacon (thick sliced if possible)
3 small potatoes cut in large chunks (you want them to cook down)
½ onion (large dice)
1 Tbls. each…celery leaves and fresh parsley (chopped fine)
!/4 cup heavy cream
1 pat butter
½ tsp. White pepper
½ tsp. Salt (optional)
water to cover (In the past I have used 1 can of chicken broth for part of the water)

In a large sauce pan saute the bacon until crisp and drain on paper towels (crumble and use to garnish soup)

Cook onion in bacon fat over high heat for 2 minutes.

Add spuds, Tasso and pepper and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Carefully add just enough water to cover the spuds and boil for 5 minutes.

Add large diced ham and reduce to simmer, stirring to keep the soup from sticking, until the potato pieces are done but not until they disappear…you will want the spuds to break down to thicken the soup.

Add cream, parsley, celery leaves and cook an addional 5 minutes, stirring to mix ingredients.

Top with crumbled bacon and pat of butter.

Start to finish is 35 minutes or you can let it simmer till you can’t wait no more!

A warm crusty garlic bread is great for soppin’ with this soup.

Eat while listening to...