Recipe: Roasted Garlic-Potato Soup (blender or food processor)

ROASTED GARLIC-POTATO SOUP

"Thickened by mashed potatoes, this rich soup gets its hearty, smoky flavor from the addition of bacon and garlic."

5 heads garlic (whole heads)
2 bacon slices, diced
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced carrot
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups diced baking potato (about 2 pounds)
4 cups low-salt chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 bay leaf
1 cup 2% low-fat milk
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

TO ROAST THE GARLIC:
Remove white papery skin from each garlic head (do not peel or separate cloves). Wrap each head separately in aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour; let cool for 10 minutes. Separate cloves, and squeeze to extract 1/4 cup of garlic pulp; discard the skins.

TO PREPARE THE SOUP:
Cook bacon in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until crisp.

Add onion, carrot, and minced garlic; saute 5 minutes.

Add potato, broth, salt, pepper, and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until potato is tender; remove bay leaf.

Combine garlic pulp and 2 cups potato mixture in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth. Return puree to pan; stir in milk, and cook over low heat until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat, and stir in chopped parsley.

Makes 7 servings (1 cup each)
Source: Cooking Light