I realize as I add this that this is my third potato recipe in a row. I like potatoes but I truthfully never thought I liked them this much.
This recipe came courtesy of an old Penzey's Spices catalog. They advocate using their spices. While it's not a requirement, of course, I highly recommend doing so; their spices really are just that much better.
Potato Soup
8 strips bacon cut into 1/2 inch strips
2 medium onions, peeled and minced
2 stalks celery, peeled and minced
3 carrots peeled and diced
1 tsp. marjoram
1/2 tsp. thyme
3 c. potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 tbsp. flour
2 qts. chicken stock
1 big pinch saffron threads
1 tbsp. parsley flakes
salt and ground pepper to taste
Cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Don't heat too high, as you will use some of the bacon drippings and they shouldn't be too dark. Remove bacon to a paper towel. Drain off all but 2 tbsp. drippings. Add onions, carrots, celery, marjoram and thyme; stir. Cover and cook on low for ten minutes. Add potatoes, stir to coat and cook for fifteen minutes. Push vegetables to side and add flour 1 tbsp. at a time; mix with vegetables when all incorporated. Add the bacon, cook for 5 minutes. Add 1 qt. chicken stock; stir until smooth. Add the rest of the stock and bring to a boil. Add saffron threads. Reduce heat to simmer for about 30 minutes until potatoes are thoroughly cooked. Add parsley flakes, taste and season with salt and pepper.
Yield: About 12 cups soup
Prep time: 15 minutes
Now, I will confess I had to improvise a bit. I decided to make this tonight on a whim and didn't have all the necessary components. Instead of bacon I used ground beef (what can I say, I was really in the mood for meat), instead of marjoram I used oregano and (here's where it gets really dicey) instead of saffron I used cardamom.
I've been smelling it and tasting it for twenty minutes now and, I have to say, it's fabulous. I'm sure it would be better with the bacon and saffron, but I'm still anxious to dip into a big old bowl.
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3 comments:
Sounds good but awfully complicated. Some other time if you have a REAL "cupboard is bare" emergency try Julia Child's Potato Soup from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol 1. Just potatoes, leeks (and/or onions), water, salt, papper, and a little cream enrichment at the end. Lots of variations possible, of course.
I've made the Julia Child version before, though it's been awhile, and I've always loved that as well but, truthfully, this wasn't complicated at all (at least it didn't seem so at the time). You're right, it sounds as if it might be but it didn't take much more than an hour to prepare and that indcluded the 30+ minutes of cooking time.
You know how every once in awhile you try something and you just can't quite believe how good it is? That's how this soup tasted to Joe and me last night. The flavor was amazing.
Sounds great! I set aside this recipe from the Penzey's catalog but have yet to try it. This is incentive. I love potato soup and but tend to forget about it as a soup option, which is silly because the main ingredient is always on hand!
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