Yield: Serves 6–8 | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 40 minutes
I grew up one state away from the cheese capital of America: Wisconsin. When my family and I went on road trips down to Wisconsin, we’d stop at the first cheese store we found and stock up on different cheeses. Asiago cheese was near the top of my list, and it works beautifully in this soup, giving it a sweet, nutty flavor.
INGREDIENTS
10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup chopped shallots
1 cup chopped onions
1½ cups chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
3 cups chopped, peeled potatoes, cut into bite-size chunks
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup white wine
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary, plus more leaves for garnish
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups shredded Asiago cheese, plus more for serving
1 head roasted garlic (see Note)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallots, onions, carrots, and celery and cook until tender, about 6 minutes.
2. Add the potatoes, broth, wine, and rosemary. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
3. Add the cream and cook for 5 minutes more.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the Asiago until melted.
5. Carefully transfer the soup to a blender, add the roasted garlic, and puree until smooth and creamy. (Alternatively, blend the soup directly in the pot using an immersion blender.) Season with salt and pepper.
6. Ladle into bowls and serve topped with more Asiago, the bacon, and rosemary.
NOTE
To make roasted garlic, cut the top third from 1 head garlic to expose the cloves. Drizzle with some olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast in a 400ºF oven for 45 minutes. Squeeze the cloves from the papery skins.