Potato, Apple And Arugula Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 lbs potatoes, diced
1 red onion, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups white wine
1 lb apple, peeled, cored and diced
1 pinch ground allspice
1 pinch nutmeg
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
2 ounces arugula leaves, soaked and washed thoroughly to remove all grit, stems removed
1 teaspoon brown sugar
salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon chives, chopped, for garnish (optional)
2 slices bacon, rinds and all fat removed, cooked and diced, to sprinkle over the soup as a garnish (optional)

Preparation

Turn the oven on low and place the soup bowls and crusty rolls wrapped in foil in the oven to warm.
Melt the butter in a saute pan and add the diced potatoes and diced onion.
Saute for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add the lemon juice, chicken stock, wine, diced apples, ground allspice, nutmeg and chopped thyme.
Bring the soup to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pan, and cook for 15 minutes.
If you wish to use arugula leaves for garnish, reserve what you require, add the rest of the arugula leaves and the sugar to the soup and cook for a further 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through.
While the soup is simmering, cook the bacon under the grill or in a pan, until it is crisp; then cut it into small pieces (about 1/2 inch squares) with a pair of kitchen scissors, and set aside.
Transfer half the soup to a blender or food processor, and process for 1 minute. This may have to be done in batches.
Return the blended soup mixture to the pan and stir into the unblended soup.
Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.
Ladle the soup into warm soup bowls and garnish with bacon pieces and either the reserved arugula leaves or chopped chives.
Serve with warm crusty bread rolls.