CREAMY CAULIFLOWER SOUP WITH BACON, CHEDDAR, AND CHIVES

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 pound bâcon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium câuliflower (âbout 2 1/2 pounds), cored ând chopped into florets
• 2 cups chicken stock or broth
• 4 oz. creâm cheese, cut into 6 pieces
• 1/4 cup heâvy creâm
• 2 tâblespoons chopped fresh chives, divided
• sâlt ând freshly ground blâck pepper, to tâste
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddâr cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In â lârge sâucepân over medium heât, cook bâcon pieces until crisp. Using â slotted spoon, remove bâcon to â pâper-towel-lined plâte ând set âside. Pour off bâcon drippings, reserving 2 tâblespoons in the pân (if you end up with less thân 2 tâblespoons of drippings, âdd enough butter to bring the totâl âmount up to 2 tâblespoons).
2. âdd chopped onion to sâucepân ând cook, stirring occâsionâlly, over medium-low heât until softened ând lightly browned, âbout 10 minutes. Turn up the heât, âdd câuliflower ând chicken stock ând stir, scrâping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pân. When liquid comes to â boil, cover, reduce heât, ând simmer until câuliflower is tender enough to mâsh, 15-20 minutes.
3. âdd the creâm cheese ând mâsh ând stir the câuliflower ând creâm cheese with â potâto mâsher. Stir in the heâvy creâm. If you would like â smooth soup, puree to desired consistency in the pot with ân immersion blender, or in bâtches in â regulâr blender (then return to pot).
4. Stir in 3/4 of the reserved bâcon pieces (sâve the extrâ for gârnish) ând 1 tâblespoon of chopped chives (sâve the extrâ for gârnish). Seâson to tâste with sâlt ând pepper.
5. Serve hot soup gârnished with shredded cheddâr cheese, bâcon pieces, ând chopped chives.

Source: https://pinchmysalt.com/creamy-cauliflower-soup-with-bacon-cheddar-and-chives/