Loaded Baked Potato Soup

When I was a teenager I spent a large portion of every weekend at the mall. Sadly, Robin Sparkles didn't visit the Crystal Mall in Waterford, Connecticut, so my mall visits didn't have a theme song.  However, the visits had a common theme and it was the food court. As a chubby adolescent, I loved the mall food court. My eatery of choice was one in which you could get a baked potato with all the toppings you could imagine. I have no idea if this establishment still exists in the Crystal Mall as I avoid the mall like the plague whenever I'm in Rhode Island, but here's my soup homage to the wonder that was the loaded baked potato store.

For my version of a loaded baked potato soup, you'll need: 1/8 pound pancetta, 4 cloves of garlic, 1 chipotle in adobo, 3 large baking potatoes, 1 small broccoli crown, a few tablespoons heavy cream, fresh chives, cheddar cheese and some salt and  water (which I forgot to include in the picture).

First, dice the pancetta into small bits and dump it into your soup pot. Turn the heat onto medium-high. If you have a fan or hood over your stove, turn that on too.  Cook the pancetta until the fat has rendered, at least 10 minutes, being sure to stir it frequently so it doesn't burn. 

Meanwhile, mince the garlic and chipotle in adobo.  Set them aside together.

Next, peel and dice the potatoes.

Depending on how quickly you work, by now the pancetta should be rendered. Add the garlic and chipotle to the pot, stirring frequently for about 2 minutes.

 

Next, add the potatoes and stir to mix. Now is a good time to add some salt as well. In a move uncharacteristic of my usual behavior, I added a lot of salt, like a tablespoon (go ahead and judge).

 

Then, add the water. I added about 5 cups.  Increase the heat to high to bring the soup to a boil.  Boil until the potatoes are cooked through.

 

Meanwhile, divide the broccoli crown into small florets and set aside.

Once the potatoes are cooked remove the pot from the heat and coarsely mash the soup with a potato masher. If you're looking for a smooth soup (which I was) also blend the soup with an immersion blender.  If the soup isn't as smooth as you'd like (which mine wasn't) also add some heavy cream or milk, and blend again until you're happy with it.

 

Return the pot to heat and  add the broccoli florets.  Cook for about 5 minutes until the broccoli are cooked.

 To serve, top with some fresh chives and shredded cheddar cheese. Enjoy!