Cafe Style Potato Soup

Submitted by: A. Dingler

3 pounds potatoes
5 slices bacon
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 scallions, chopped
2 tablespoons flour
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
8 ounces cooked ham, chopped
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup half and half
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon honey
Salt and pepper to taste
Hot pepper sauce to taste

Peel potatoes and dice into various sizes (1/2-inch to 1-inch cubes). Place in a large Dutch oven, cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook for 20 minutes. Drain and place potatoes back in pot. Dice raw bacon and sauté on high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from grease, reserving as much grease as possible in the sauté pan. Add drained bacon to potatoes. Sauté onions in bacon drippings until almost translucent. Add scallions and continue to sauté for 1 minute. Push onions and scallions to edges of sauté pan, pooling as much grease as possible in center of pan. (It's OK if a few onions get into the roux.)Reduce heat to low. Sprinkle flour on top of grease and stir vigorously, forming a roux. Cook for 1 minute. Transfer roux and onions to pot with potatoes. Add chicken stock to potatoes and place over medium heat. Stirring constantly, bring to a low boil. Add ham, milk, half and half, basil, honey, salt, pepper and hot sauce, stirring well after each addition. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent potatoes from sticking. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

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