Bacon Potato-Broccoli Soup

This is a two-texture soup, smooth and chunky in the same bowl. The first half is purely pureed: smoky bacon, sweated onion and chunks of potato all cooked together, then blended into a thick, silky base.

A half teaspoon of curry powder sounds out of place but earns its keep. Curry adds warmth and a savory hum that makes the bowl taste seasoned rather than plain. You won’t taste curry exactly, just something rounder and more interesting than salt and pepper alone.

The broccoli florets and skim milk go in after the blender. That’s deliberate. Pureed broccoli turns olive-army-green and bitter, while florets stirred in at the end stay bright and tender with just enough bite to remind you what’s in your spoon.

Chef Tips

• Render the bacon thoroughly with the onion before adding water. The fond on the bottom of the pot is where most of the smoky flavor lives.
• Test potatoes by piercing with a fork: tender means the cube slides off easily. Underdone potatoes give a grainy, gritty puree.
• Vent the blender lid before pureeing hot soup. Steam pressure can blow the lid off and paint your kitchen ceiling beige.
• Add the broccoli only in the last 15 to 20 minutes so it stays vivid green. Longer cooking turns it dull and sulfury.
• A dash of Worcestershire is enough to deepen the savory edge without making the soup taste like steak sauce.

Variations

• Stir in ½ cup grated sharp cheddar at the end for a broccoli-cheddar style finish.
• Swap the skim milk for coconut milk and bump the curry to a teaspoon for a Thai-leaning version.
• Top each bowl with crispy fried chickpeas (mentioned in the original) for crunch and protein.