In a large pot or a Dutch oven, sauté the bacon until it is crisp over medium high heat. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate, let cool and drain, and crumble the bacon. Set aside.
Pour off all of the bacon fat, then melt the butter over medium heat. Add the carrots, onions, shallots, and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, until the carrots have started to become tender.
Add the rice and the chicken broth, turn the heat to high, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer the soup, covered for 30 to 40 minutes, until the vegetables are completely tender and the rice is very soft. Puree the soup in batches in a blender or a food processor, or use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the pot, until very smooth. Stir in the cream and heat through.
Serve the soup hot, topped with the bacon, and a crumble of whatever cheese you like, and some parsley. Give it a final sprinkle of pepper if desired.
Notes
The addition of a small amount of white rice simply serves to thicken up the soup once it’s pureed, which lets the carrots and other supporting vegetables hold the spotlight. You can kind of white rice you like, from jasmine to short grain.
This soup will last for 5 days in the fridge. If you know you are going to make it ahead of time, you can leave out the cream, and then add it to the soup when you reheat it in a pot over medium-low heat. If you did add the cream, leftovers can be stored for the same amount of time; make sure to just heat it over medium-low heat until just warmed through, and don't let it come to a boil.