1-2teaspoonskosher saltstart with 1 teaspoon and add more if needed after adding the cheese
1teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
¼teaspoonred pepper flakes
1teaspoonFines Herbesa mixture of chervil, parsley, tarragon & chives or parsley
1cupHeavy Cream
1cupMilk
2cupsGrated Cheesea mixture of Cheddar and Gruyere tastes great.
Optional Garnishes
chopped chives
crispy bacon
sautéed shredded carrots
Instructions
In a Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium-high heat until crisp then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Set bacon aside and add immediately before serving.
6-8 slices bacon slices
Remove all but 2 tablespoons bacon grease from pan.
Return pan to heat and sauté shredded carrots and diced onions until onions are translucent and carrots soften and begin to caramelize. (If desired, set aside 3 tablespoons of the sautéed vegetables to use as garnish.)
4 carrots, 1 yellow onion
Sprinkle flour over sautéed onions and carrots, mix well and cook 30 seconds.
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Add chicken stock and seasonings.
6 cups Unsalted Chicken Broth, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon Fines Herbes, 1-2 teaspoons kosher salt
See *NOTE if a smoother soup is desired. See **NOTE if you want to add broccoli or cauliflower.
Add hash browns and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook until potatoes are tender.
30 ounce Frozen Shredded Hash Browns
Add cream and milk and cook 5-10 minutes, stirring often. Watch closely so soup doesn’t scald.
1 cup Heavy Cream, 1 cup Milk
Add cheese and stir until cheese melts.
2 cups Grated Cheese
Taste the soup, and if needed, add more salt and other seasonings.
*NOTE: Directions to follow if a smoother soup is desired: Before adding the cream and milk, use a hand blender (or stick blender) to puree the soup, then add the cream and milk. **NOTE: This soup is the perfect base for adding steamed, frozen or roasted cauliflower or broccoli. Just add the vegetables when adding the chicken stock.Storage: Store soup in an airtight container, in the fridge up to 4 days.