Cabbage and Bacon Soup

I would definitely put this soup under 'Irish Soup'. Cabbage and bacon are the flavours of Ireland to me and here it is simply made as a filling, tasty rustic soup. Simple ingredients you often have already in the fridge and quick to make, its a perfectly weekend lunch when the weather has a nip in the air.

Ingredients:

12 rashers unsmoked streaky bacon
2 large potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
40g butter
1 litre chicken or veg stock (cube is fine)
1/2 small savoy cabbage, chopped
salt & pepper

Method:

Grill the bacon until crisp and set to one side. Melt the butter in a large pan and add the potatoes, onion and garlic. Get a piece of greaseproof paper and make a cartouche - cut the paper a bit larger than the diameter of the pan and screw it into a ball under the tap. Shake off excess water and place over the vegetables, like a blanket. Pop on the lid over the top and cook on a gentle heat for 10 minutes.

Take off the lid and discard the greaseproof paper. Stir the veg and add the stock. Cook for about 5 more minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Take off the heat and use a hand blender to blitz to a smooth, creamy soup. Now put back on the heat and add the cabbage. Leave to cook on medium/low heat for about 7 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender and add the bacon, ripped into pieces.

Check for seasoning, I added pepper but you may not need salt because of the bacon.  Serve with bread and butter and enjoy!