Winter Vegetable Soup Ingredients 4 Slices bacon in 1 inch piece 4 tb Unsalted butter 2 c Diced leeks 1 1/2 c Diced onions 1 c Diced celery 1 1/2 ts Dried tarragon 1/2 ts Dried thyme Salt Pepper taste 5 c Chicken stock 2 1/2 c Diced potatoes 1 lb Rinsed spinach 1/8 inch sliced 1 1/2 c Sliced carrots 1 1/2 c Shredded cabbage In large soup pot, cook bacon till fat is rendered (5 min), remove & discard.   Add butter, then leeks, onion and celery. Cook over low heat till wilted (15 min).  Season with tarragon, thyme salt & pepper.  Stir well.  Add stock, potatoes & carrots. Simmer till tender but not mushy (15 min).  Add half the spinach and the cabbage, simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat. Puree half the soup in a food processor or blender & return to pot.   Simmer over low heat and add the remaining spinach and the cream. Heat well but don't boil. Adjust seasoning and serve.