Here in Houston we don’t experience too many variations in weather or seasons. We are the land of perpetual heat. We have two climates here, hot & humid and even hotter and more humid. On the rare occasion we have a cold snap that makes everyone bust out the fur, even though it is only in the 50’s or 60’s. It just so happens that we are beginning to experience one of these windows into winter.

This is the perfect time to bring out the dutch oven and make soups or stews. I absolutely adore soup. I could eat soup everyday all day. Complex flavors and a variety of consistencies and textures are at play with these dishes. The best of these broth based beauties is simple and hosts few ingredients, but the way they work together is astounding.

One of my favorite soups is Potato. I will gladly accept all recipes and flavor combinations. Potato soup is rustic at heart and evokes that feeling of being at home and safe. The cream gives it a rich velvety consistency and utilizing the bacon fat to soften the vegetables gives the dish a slight smokey flavor throughout.

This is definitely a crowd pleasing treat. After it’s ready you can put out sour cream, bacon bits, cheese, green onions, and any other toppings you would use for a baked potato. Then you can let everyone help themselves to a Build-Your-Own-Bowl bar. It will be interactive and delicious.

Potato Soup

5 Medium Russet Potatoes,peeled and 1/2 inch cubed
1 1/2 Cup Bacon, small dice
1 Large Yellow Onion, medium dice
2 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
5 Green Onions, finely sliced greens and whites separated
1 Bay Leaf
1/2 TSP WS Turkey Herbs (mixture of sage, thyme, and marjoram)
4 Cups of Chicken Stock
2 Cups Water
1 Cup Heavy Cream
Salt and Pepper

Procedure:

Place a 4 to 5 quart dutch oven on the stove over medium heat. Add the bacon and allow it to slowly cook and render out the fat. After a few minutes increase the heat to medium-high and fry off the bacon. Remove from pan and drain on paper towel lined plate. The bacon will top the finished soup.

In the dutch oven with the hot bacon grease, add the onions, garlic and the whites of the green onions only. The greens will be used to garnished the finished soup. Saute the combination, for 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Add the bay leaf and herbs. Cook another 2 minutes, or until fragrant.

Stir in the cubed potatoes and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook the mixture for another 5 minutes and stir to coat the potatoes. The potatoes will be cooked lightly on the exterior but essentially still raw in the center.

Pour in the water and chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat to a slow simmer. Allow the mixture to simmer for 15- 20 minutes. The potatoes will be tender but not mushy.
Using a slotted spoon remove two cups of the cooked potatoes from the broth and set aside.

Pour the contents of the dutch oven into a blender and puree with the pour cover removed. Process the soup until it is completely smooth. Add the heavy cream while the mixture is blending.

Return the soup to the pot and heat over low heat, only until you see small bubbles coming up around the sides of the pot. Return the reserved potatoes to the soup. Remove from heat and garnish.

Typically this soup is garnished with green onions, cheese, and bacon. Don’t let the norm dictate your life! Be bold and daring with your toppings, you can even try a drizzle of truffle oil or aged balsamic vinegar. mmmmmmm

potato soup card