Le Creuset Giveaway Finalist: BCT Soup

One of five finalists in the Metrocurean Le Creuset One-Pot Giveaway ...

The recipe: BCT (Bacon, Cabbage and Tomato) Soup

The finalist: Julia Ritchey is a 24-year-old journalist who loves cooking, blogging and drawing hand turkeys in her spare time.

Julia writes:
This recipe is inspired by the classic BLT sandwich, but uses cabbage
as its star ingredient. It's a hearty autumn dish, and only takes about
30 minutes cook time. Take that, Rachael Ray.


4 slices of bacon (one slice per person)

2 leeks, bottoms diced

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

6 tomatoes (I used 4 roma, 2 vine), diced into eighths

5 red potatoes, diced into eighths

1 small head of cabbage, washed then chopped into 1 in. pieces

3 cups low sodium chicken broth (or vegetable)

Salt and pepper


1.
Cook bacon in large stew pot on medium heat until crispy, approximately
8-9 minutes. Remove from pan and put on plate lined with paper towel.
Remove pan from heat.


2. Pour bacon fat and bits (preferably into
a container for later use!) and retain about 2 tablespoons in the pan.
Reheat pan to medium and throw in leeks. Cook 2 minutes, then add
garlic. Cook leeks and garlic until almost translucent.


3. Add
the diced potatoes and tomatoes, and a teaspoon of pepper and 2
teaspoons sea salt. Stir for about 1 or 2 minutes, then add 1½ cups
broth. Kick the heat up ‘til it’s simmering, put a lid on it, and simmer
for 10 minutes.


4. Remove lid, add all the chopped cabbage and
an additional 1½ cups of broth. Stir and cover. Let simmer for another
10 minutes. Taste broth and adjust seasoning. Simmer approximately
another 10 minutes until potatoes and cabbage are perfectly tender and
not soggy.


5. Ladle soup into bowl with a little of the broth.
Crumble up one piece of bacon (or more) into tiny pieces and sprinkle
over the top with some chopped parsley as garnish. Best served with a
nice crusty baguette. Bon vittles!


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