Potato Soup with Bacon Dumplings

Instructions

1. Prepare the soup base
   In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery, and sauté until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the diced potatoes and dried marjoram, stir to combine.
2. Cook the soup
   Pour in the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook until the potatoes are very tender, about 20 minutes. Use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup, leaving some chunks for texture.
3. Prepare the roux and finish the soup
   In a small saucepan, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk continuously for 1-2 minutes to make a roux. Gradually whisk in the heavy cream until smooth. Pour this mixture into the soup, stirring constantly. Simmer for 5 minutes until thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Cook the bacon
   In a skillet, cook two-thirds of the diced bacon until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon fat for the dumplings. Cook the remaining bacon until just cooked but not crispy, and set aside for the dumpling mixture.
5. Make the dumpling dough
   In a large bowl, combine the 2 cups of flour, eggs, milk, and 2 tablespoons of reserved bacon fat. Add the soft-cooked bacon pieces, 2 tablespoons of chopped chives, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix until a sticky dough forms. If the dough is too dry, add a little more milk; if too wet, add a bit more flour.
6. Form and cook the dumplings
   Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Using two spoons, form small oval dumplings (about 1 1/2 inches long) from the dough. Carefully drop them into the simmering water. Cook for about 8-10 minutes until they float to the surface and are cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon.
7. Serve the soup
   Ladle the hot potato soup into bowls. Place 3-4 dumplings in each bowl. Sprinkle with the crispy bacon pieces and additional fresh chives. Serve immediately while hot.