Creamy Potato Soup

 

Safeway delivered 4 huge russet potatoes a couple of days ago.  They look like they are this year’s crop, at least.  I decided with one I would make a soup.  With another I will be making Colcannon (Irish mashed potatoes) and the other two I am going to dice up and dehydrate for the coming winter.  We can’t eat four huge potatoes before they go off so drying is my go-to method for preservation (although freezing comes in second, only due to space in the freezer which is full to the brim from our summer gardening bounty).  I admit I am looking forward to just cooking with all the yum-licious foods I have been preserving since last Spring. However, I am growing weary of the preservation jobs.

So here is the recipe for my potato soup:

Potato Soup (creamy)

SUMMARY:  You can make this a creamy or a brothy style, depending on what you add to the pot. Servings – A Lot

Total_time=”2 1/2 HOURS”

INGREDIENTS

Bacon, two large thick cut slices;

Olive Oil, 2 tablespoons;

Onion, Walla Walla Sweet, medium size, sliced very thin (I used a mandolin at 3/16ths);

Carrots, About 6 medium sized, scraped, then halved into 2-3 inch long pieces;

Celery, Organic (from the farmers market), 3 stalks divided into 2-3 inch pieces;

Gypsy Pepper, chopped in 1/4 inch dice – 1 whole, seeded pepper;

Garlic, 2 large cloves, minced;

Parsley, dried (mine was freshly dried this week since the weather was changing) 1 tablespoon;

Flour, (AP) All-Purpose, 4 Tablespoons (generously);

Celery Broth, 2 cups (I took all the leaves and broken pieces from the stalk I bought at the farmers market, put them in about 6 quarts of water, brought to a boil and then simmered for 3 hours);

Milk, 2%, 2 cups + buttermilk, 1/4 cup;

Potato, 1 1/2 pounds, cut into 1/2 inch chunks;

Worcestershire Sauce, about 2 Tablespoons;

Mustard Powder, Wasabi flavored, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons;

Allspice, pinch;

Celery Seed, (go lightly if you already used celery broth) 1/2 teaspoon;

Thyme, fresh, plucked from the garden 4 x 4 inch long sprigs, leaves removed, stems discarded;

Wine, white, whatever is in the refrigerator, 3 Tablespoons;

Cayenne pepper, 1/4 teaspoon;

Salt, to taste (add just a little and add more towards the end);

DIRECTIONS

In a large stock pot pour in a small amount of olive oil and cut the bacon strips into it, about 1/2 inch long each. Fry until crispy and browned. (About 7 minutes);

Immediately add the chunks of onion, carrots, celery, gypsy pepper and saute until onions are translucent and veggies are getting about half soft;

Add the garlic and continue cooking until it aromatizes (about 30 seconds);

Add dried or fresh flat leaf parsley;

Sprinkle in the flour, stirring constantly so the vegetables are coated in the flour;

Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly so the harsh flour taste is cooked out of it;

Add the celery broth slowly, stirring constantly;

Add milk mixture (2% +buttermilk), stirring constantly;

Add the diced potatoes, continuing to stir;

Add Worcestershire sauce, wasabi mustard, allspice, celery seed, fresh thyme, white wine, cayenne pepper and salt;

Cook on low heat at a simmer until vegetables and potatoes are soft and the potatoes have thickened the soup;

(If the soup is too thick, add a little celery broth, a 1/4 cup at a time until you reach your desired consistency – each cook has a preference as to the consistency – make it your own!);

Serve with a little shredded Parmesan cheese sprinkled on the top and a crusty bread for sopping up the remains.