Ingredients:

8 oz bacon strips, sliced to 1/2 inch
2 large onions, coarsely chopped
3 leeks, cleaned and sliced into 1" julienne strips
6 ribs celery, sliced
3 cups carrot, 1/4 inch slices
8 cups chicken stock
1 medium rutabaga, peeled and diced to 1/2 inch
4 medium potatoes, 1/2 inch dice
1 small head of cabbage, coarsley chopped 1 pkg frozen chopped spinach
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried tarragon
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup dry sherry
1 cup heavy cream
salt to taste

Directions:

in a large soup pot, heat chopped bacon until it begins to brown. Add chopped onion, leeks and celery, and cook until they begin to wilt, about 15 min. Add stock and carrots, and heat until it comes to a simmer.

Add potatoes, cabbage and rutabaga and bring back to a boil. Add frozen spinach. When soup begins to boil again, add tarragon, thyme and black pepper, followed by the sherry. Simmer for 20 - 30 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften, but are still firm.

Remove about half of the vegetables with a slotted spoon and place in food processor with about a cup of stock. Puree till smooth and return to pot.

Add cream and simmer for another 10 minutes, being careful not to let soup come to a full boil. Salt to taste. Serve with chopped parsely or chives for garnish. Makes 12 servings.