Northwest Potato Apple Soup

Ingredients:

4 slices bacon (1 oz. total), chopped

½ teaspoon olive oil

¼ cup sliced celery, plus leaves for garnish

¾ cup diced peeled Yukon Gold potato

1 medium (or two small) tart apple, peeled and chopped

½ onion, peeled and chopped

2+ cloves minced garlic

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

About 1 tsp chicken bouillon

1 cube (1 TBSP) frozen or fresh pesto

4 – 6 fresh sage leaves, minced

1½ cups apple cider or juice

1 TBSP flour stirred into 1 cup milk

3-4 oz gruyere cheese (or substitute cheddar & parmesan) shredded.

Plus some more for garnish

Optional:

Enough hot pepper to give it some bite.

Celery seed for garnish

Instructions:

In a large cast iron pan over high heat, stir bacon until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.

Add oil to pan; when hot, add onion, celery, apple, and garlic. Stir often over medium heat until onion is very limp and beginning to brown, about 20 minutes.

Add potatoes, chicken bouillon, and apple juice; bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes mash easily, 25 to 30 minutes.

Add flour-milk mixture and stir in. Add the cheese and stir in. Cook, stirring often, an additional 8 or 10 minutes until cheese is entirely melted and flour is cooked. Adjust seasoning during this time.

Serve and garnish. Goes well with homemade sourdough bread.