"Yes, yes, Brussels sprouts. Ick. Let alone in a soup. All wrong. But they make a luscious creamy base when pureed with potatoes, then topped with the ultimate condiment—bacon."
1 pound Brussels sprouts
2 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
4 cups chicken broth
4 strips of bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
salt and pepper
Cut the bottoms off of the Brussels sprouts and peel the outside leaves off, saving the leaves for later. Cut the sprouts in half and place them in a large saucepan with the potatoes and the broth.
Bring the broth to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook until the sprouts and potatoes are tender, about ten minutes.
While the soup is simmering, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until crispy. Remove the bacon and drain on paper towels.
Add the reserved sprout leaves to the skillet and cook until crispy. Add to the paper towels with the bacon.
When the sprouts and potatoes are tender, puree the soup either directly in the pot with an immersion blender or by ladling it into a standard blender and pureeing.
Season the chowder with salt and pepper to taste. Serve garnished with the bacon and crispy leaves.