Green Tomato and Bacon Soup

I’ve been on a bacon kick recently - bacon vinaigrette, praline bacon, bacon brownies - and have yet to buck the trend.  After indulging in an impulse purchase of crisp green tomatoes at the Tomato Vine, too, I couldn’t resist combining the two.

Ingredients:

• 4 strips thick cut applewood bacon
• 3 firm green tomatoes diced
• 1/2 sweet (vidalia) onion chopped
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 bay leaf
• cracked black pepper to taste
• cayenne pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place bacon in a large pot on medium heat.  Rendered fat from the bacon will serve as a base for the roux.  When bacon is crisp, remove from the pot and place to the side (will be crumbled into the soup before serving).
2. Turn the burner down to medium low, stirring flour into the bacon grease. Stir constantly, scraping the bottom of the pot until the roux becomes a thick rich golden brown color (approximately 3-4 minutes).
3. Incorporate diced green tomatoes, chopped onion, and garlic into the roux. Return the burner to a medium heat as the roux coats the vegetables.  Stir occasionally until the onions become translucent.
4. Pour chicken stock over the vegetable roux mixture, adding seasonings.  Stir occasionally until ingredients begin to simmer.
5. Stir in cream, allowing soup to simmer for approximately 20 minutes on medium low heat.
6. Prior to serving, crumble bacon strips and stir into soup. The bacon will become chewy if it is added too early.  
7. Taste, adding any additional seasoning and serve.

Serving Notes: Makes enough to serve a party of 4-6.  Garnish with either goat cheese crumbles or a small scoop of pimento cheese.