Hot Brown Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 cup diced ham
• 1 cup diced turkey meat
• 6 slices of bacon
• 6 slices of baguette
• 90g unsalted butter + extra melted butter for greasing the bread
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• Half a clove of garlic, crushed
• 5 tbsp. premium flour
• 1 liter of lightly salted chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup shredded white American cheese (about 110 g)
• 1.5 cups grated cheddar (about 170 g)
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 175°C.
2. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are softened, about 4 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the broth and cream and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, then add the American cheese and 1 cup of cheddar and stir until the cheese is melted. Add the ham and turkey and heat through for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm.
3. Place baguette slices on a baking sheet and brush with melted butter. Place in the oven and toast until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, fry the bacon, turning occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain, then crumble.
4. In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and black pepper to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the toasted baguette, sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar, tomatoes, and bacon.