Swiss Chard Bacon Soup

Ah, the leaves are turning brown and days are getting shorter.  That's right people, the summer is over and fall is here.  We've gotten it pretty good so far this year in Vancouver with fairly sunny days but it gets pretty darn cold as soon as the sun sets.  Time to shut the BBQ down and bring out the stock pot because hearty warming soups are making a return!  First on the list?  Bacon and potatoes!  Yum!

Tools needed:

• Cutting board and knife
• Large pot
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Wooden spoon
• Peeler (optional)

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil (or comparable vegetable oil)
• 1 medium-sized cooking onion, diced
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 6-7 slices of thick cut bacon, roughly chopped
• 2 stalks of celery, diced
• 1 bunch swiss chard, roughly chopped into bite size pieces, leaves separated from the stem pieces
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 3 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock
• 2 cups water
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 pounds of yellow potatoes, scrubbed and chopped into quarters (I prefer to leave the skins on but you can peel them if you like)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.  Heat the coconut oil in pot preheated to medium to medium-high heat.  Add onions and saute until golden brown.  Add garlic and saute for another 3-4 minutes - be careful not to burn the garlic or else they'll turn bitter!  Add bacon and saute until the bacon is crispy. Add celery and swiss chard stems and saute until tender.

2.  Add the flour and bay leaves to the mixture - it should now become a paste!  Stir the paste until it is completely incorporated and should turn a shade darker.  Add the cayenne pepper and stir to incorporate.  Then, add the chicken stock and water a cup at a time, stirring to make sure the liquids are absorbed and blended in before adding the next cup of liquid. 

3.  Once all of the liquids have been incorporated, add the potatoes and let it simmer on medium-low to medium heat until the potatoes are cooked through, approximately 25-30 minutes, stirring every few minutes to ensure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pot.  At this point, if you prefer the soup to be a bit thicker, let it simmer a little longer and if you perfer it a little thinner, just add chicken stock until you get the desired consistency.

4.  Add the swiss chard leaves and cook until the leaves have wilted, approximately 10-15 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Leave on low-simmer until ready to serve.

5.  Eat and enjoy!

(Recipe adapted from Roger Mooking at Cooking Channel TV)