Roasted Garlic, Bacon and Greens Potato Soup Recipe

• 4 large garlic heads
• 3 small cooking onions
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
• Bacon
• 2 medium leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced crosswise (white and pale green parts only)
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 10 small red potatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, plus more as needed
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 12 ounces kale, tough stems removed and leaves cut into 1/2-inch slices (about 4 cups)
• (Egg as desired)

1. Heat the oven to 350°F
2. Peel any loose outer skins from the garlic heads and cut off the top quarter of each head to expose the cloves. Place the garlic heads, cut side up, on a large piece of foil, drizzle olive oil over all heads, and wrap tightly to form a foil packet. Place the packet on a baking sheet and bake until the garlic cloves are golden brown and very tender, about 60 to 75 minutes. Remove from the oven, open the packet, and let the garlic sit until cool enough to handle. Squeeze the roasted cloves from their skins and place in a small bowl; set aside.
3. Roast potatoes in oven until tender. Once tender, cut into cubes, set aside.
4. Cut bacon into small pieces and begin to heat in large saucepan over medium low heat so as not to burn and stirring frequently. Once bacon is crispy, add leeks and onions and heat until softened. Cook, stirring occasionally, until a bit of crust begins to form on the bottom of the pan, about 10 minutes. Add a portion of the the broth and, using a wooden spoon, loosen the crusty bits from the bottom of the pan. Add cubed potatoes. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer until the potatoes are knife tender, about 15 minutes.
5. Using a blender, purée the soup in batches until smooth. Add to pureed potato to remainder of soup.
6. Return the soup to a simmer over low heat. Add the kale and water and stir to combine. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is tender but still brightly colored, about 10 to 12 minutes. Taste and add more paprika, salt, and pepper as needed.
7. Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with olive oil, season with pepper, and top with a poached egg if desired.