Potato Soup with Mustard Greens

We've been shopping at the farmer's market quite a bit lately for fresh fruit and vegetables. Last time we were there, one of the growers was really trying to sell us some mustard greens, and after a quick sample of the wares, we decided we just had to try cooking up a bunch. So, what's the best place to put them when they're cooked? Well...

Chop 4 strips of bacon into 1/2 inch pieces and cook in the bottom of your soup pan (we use a 5 quart enameled cast iron pot, which I highly recommend) until the bacon is fully rendered. Remove and reserve the cooked bacon. Add a bit of olive oil (not extra virgin) so that there's a couple of tablespoons of fat total in the pot. Add about 1 cup chopped onion, 1/2 cup celery, and 1/2 cup red bell pepper plus a pinch of salt and sweat the vegetables for about 5 minutes, until nice and soft. Add two cloves of minced garlic and cook another 30 seconds. Now, add about 3 cups of yukon gold potatoes cut into 1/2 inch cubes and add chicken broth until the potatoes are covered just over 1/2 inch. Simmer the soup for about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. At this point, if you want a thicker soup, blend wtih the stick blender to the desired thickness.

To cook the mustard greens, chop them into 1 inch pieces and wilt in a large frying pan with some olive oil and garlic, then add a bit of chicken broth and cover, stirring occasionally, until the greens are fully wilted.

Finish the soup by adding half and half as desired and adding in the cooked mustard greens. Serve with the reserved bacon bits. For an extra treat, grate some cheddar cheese on top of the soup.