Bacon Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound Carriage House Farms bacon, medium to small dice
• 2 medium/large heads cauliflower, rough chopped
• 2 large bulbs fennel, diced
• 3 large leeks or 6 small leeks, diced
• 4 oz maitake mushrooms, chopped (Hen of the Woods)
• 6 cloves garlic, smashed
• 3-4 stalks celery
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 small bunch of thyme, tied with butchers twine
• 1/2 tsp white pepper, or more to taste
• 1-2 Green Thai chili, sliced finely (optional)
• 2 TBSP chicken base (Better Than Boullion)
• 1 Tbsp Salt or more to taste
• 1/2 cup-1 cup heavy cream depending on desired richness.
• For garnish
• Fresh Dill and parsley, chopped
• Drizzle of good quality olive oil

Preparation:

• In a large stockpot, render diced bacon, stirring frequently, until crispy. Remove crispy bacon and reserve for later.
• In the rendered fat, add the leeks, fennel, celery, maitake mushroom, garlic, bay leaf, Thai chili, white pepper, and salt. Stir occasionally until vegetables are softened and leeks are translucent.
• Add chopped cauliflower, cover with water 1 inch above ingredients. Add chicken base, and thyme bundle. Bring up to boil, reduce to simmer, and cook for 30 minutes.
• Remove bay leaf and thyme bundle. Puree in blender and pass through fine strainer for a luscious smooth texture. Use an immersion blender if a blender is not available.
• Add in cream, crispy bacon, and adjust salt to taste.
• Serve hot with fine chopped herbs and a drizzle of good olive oil.

NOTES:

If using fresh chicken stock, disregard the chicken base. Vegetable base or vegetable stock can be substituted.
Feel free to render a full pound of bacon in the beginning. Add half into the soup at the end per the recipe, and reserve the remainder for garnish with herbs.
For completely vegetarian soup, use 1 stick of butter, and a good pour of olive oil in place of rendered fat. You can also double the maitake mushrooms, cook them in the oil and butter until crispy and golden brown, and remove half and reserve same as the bacon.