Potato Soup with Blue Cheese and Bacon

8 bacon slices
2 cups chopped onion
1 large leek (white and pale green parts only), chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled, chopped
3 3/4 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
1 large potato (about 10 ounces), peeled, chopped
1 cup dry white wine
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

Cook bacon in heavy large pot over medium heat until brown and crisp. Using tongs, transfer bacon to paper towels and drain. Crumble bacon.

Spoon off all but 2 tablespoons bacon drippings from pot. Add onion, leek, celery and carrots to pot. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook until vegetables begin to soften and color, about 15 minutes. Add broth, potato and wine. Bring to boil. Partially cover pot. Simmer until all vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat.

Place cheese in processor. Add 1 1/2 cups hot soup. Blend until cheese melts and mixture is smooth. Return cheese mixture to soup in pot and stir to blend. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover soup and wrap bacon; refrigerate.)

Stir soup over low heat until heated through. Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle bacon over and serve.

Makes 6 to 8 Servings.

AUTHOR: TUDDLES