Tomato-Bacon Bisque
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
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Makes: 3-4 servings
Ingredients
  • 2-3 rashers (about 2 oz) bacon
  • 1 tbsp rendered bacon fat, from above
  • ½ cup diced onion
  • 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 28 oz (1 large can) crushed tomatoes (or 2 lb fresh tomatoes, if in season)
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste (optional)
  • 1½ cups chicken stock, plus more for thinning if needed
  • 2-3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp light brown sugar (or more, to taste)
  • 2 tbsp whole milk (or heavy cream)
  • 2 tbsp Greek yogurt
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • ½ tsp finely chopped fresh thyme
  • ½ tsp finely chopped fresh oregano
  • cilantro or parsley (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
  1. First, prepare your bacon. (If you're making the grilled cheese too, you might want to prepare all the bacon at once in this step.) You can either panfry it on the stove or bake it -- I like baking for ease of preparation. To bake, place the bacon strips on a rimmed baking sheet (foil-lined, if you prefer) or in a cast-iron skillet, then pop them in a cold oven (no need to preheat) and turn the oven to 400 degrees. Let bake for about 12-15 minutes, until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp. The crisper the better for the soup -- it purees smoother.
  2. Drain and reserve the bacon fat from the bacon strips; set the strips aside. Heat one tablespoon of the bacon fat (or however much you'd like to sauté with) in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions and minced garlic, and sauté until onions just begin to soften. Crumble two rashers of bacon into the pot and continue to cook for 20-30 seconds more.
  3. Add the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, grated Parmesan, and brown sugar, and stir to combine. Turn the heat to low and let simmer for 30 minutes.
  4. Turn the heat off. Add the milk and Greek yogurt, then use an immersion blender or regular blender to puree the soup until uniform in texture. Season with salt, pepper, thyme, and oregano to taste, and adjust the soup with chicken stock if it's too thick for your liking. If the soup is tart, add a bit more brown sugar and another splash of milk or cream. Serve hot, or let cool and freeze for later.
Notes
I find that this freezes well. I've never had the dairy separate on me, but if it does for you, just give it a stir when you reheat it -- and adding another splash of milk or cream when you do won't hurt anyone.

If you're out of chicken stock, water will work in a pinch -- just add a bit more Parmesan and salt to compensate, if needed.
Recipe by the pig & quill at https://thepigandquill.com/tomato-bacon-bisque-apple-bacon-grilled-cheese-two-red-bowls-guest-post/