a baked potato soup

Cooking for friends has always been something I look forward to. Though these days, the cooking has been far and between (with a looming deadline beckoning, it's getting a little difficult to slave an entire day in the kitchen). So friends, keep your prayers coming and fingers crossed that I'll complete that dreaded paper soon.

Here's one of the dishes I made as a starter for one of those dinner parties several weeks back. The 'baked' bit is a kinda of a misnomer - the soup is not actually baked, but its served like how a baked potato would be - with sour cream, bacon and chives. This soup is one of my favourites - the potato and the sour cream at the end means no flour or cream is added during the cooking process. Also, the combination of the bacon, chives and sour cream is a classic trio made in heaven.

I made a chicken stock using chicken bones, celery, onions, bay leaves and black peppercorns. Afterwhich, I sauteed a chopped onion in oil till translucent - be careful not to brown it (if not you ger brown bits in your pale cream soup). Next, I added chopped peeled potato chunks. And cooked them for a bit, with a ladle of stock. I added all the stock and cooked till the potatoes are tender. Cool. Blend. Season to taste. I fried the chopped up bacon (never ever use the fakey ones in a bottle), chopped up the chives and that's it. Baked potato soup. It was a hit.