Lettuce Soup

This is a soup that my Slovak grandmother used to make when I was a little girl. She used lettuce she would pick fresh out of her garden. I still make this soup every summer and remember her sitting in her kitchen sipping coffee with my mother and aunt. It brings back such fond memories.

• Ready In: 2 hrs
• Serves: 6-8
• Yields: 6-8 Large Bowls

Ingredients

• 2  lbs thick slab bacon
•  flour
•  milk
• 2  eggs, beaten
• 2  bunches leaf lettuce
•  salt

Directions

1. In a cast iron skillet (this the best but you can use any type skillet) Fry 2 lb. of bacon (to render fat, but not crisp the bacon).
2. Remove bacon from skillet leaving the fat in the pan.
3. Allow the fat to brown (slightly).
4. For every 2 Tablespoons of browned fat rendered add 2 tablespoons of flour.
5. Stirring constantly, brown flour in fat to a deep golden brown.
6. Allow to cool slightly so as not to curdle the milk when added.
7. Once cooled, add 1 cup of milk for ever 2 tablespoons of flour used.
8. Bring to rolling boil stirring constantly.
9. Add torn up lettuce and cut up bacon to the browned fat and flour mixture.
10. Bring back to a rolling boil, stirring constantly.
11. Add eggs to mixture making sure to stir it throughout the soup.
12. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook for about 1 hour (until lettuce is cooked down).
13. Salt to taste.
14. Serve with a crusty French bread.