Roasted Potato Soup

Let's face it. Potato soup is hard. It often smells great but tastes bland. This is my flavorful take on the classic, complete with bacon, roasted potatoes, and smoked Gruyere cheese.

A Tied by Colorful Apron Strings original - created in our kitchen.

Ingredients:
~3 lbs. petite potatoes, quartered (I used yellow, red, and purple - the purple ones gave the soup a grayish tint, but it's still delicious!)
~6 slices bacon, chopped
~2 tbs. flour
~32 oz. chicken stock
~olive oil
~salt and pepper
~3 garlic cloves, minced.
~2 medium shallots, diced
~smoked Gruyere cheese, grated
~1 tbs. butter
~3 tbs. heavy cream

1. Preheat oven to 400. Arrange potatoes on baking sheets and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 10-15 minutes or until slightly browned and crispy.
2. Heat soup pot to medium heat and add bacon. Cook 2-3 minutes and remove; leaving bacon fat in the pot.
3. Add shallots, garlic, and butter to bacon fat. Saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add flour and stir to thicken.
4. Add chicken stock and bring to boil.
5. Reduce heat to low and add roasted potatoes. Simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Using an immersion blender, puree soup until desired thickness (I like mine mostly pureed but slightly chunky). Stir in cream.
7. Serve into bowls and top with reserved bacon and Gruyere cheese.