Spud Soup

My friend Carol BrownE inspired me with her recipe for potato soup. This is a version passed on to me by my Sister Ingrid. A great way to use up spuds that have been left around a bit too long.

Here's a preparatory video of the work part of the recipe.



Here's a list of ingredients. I say "a" list as everything is pretty much optional- except the spuds. And the butter.

2.5 lbs of Spuds ( or like, a potful )
3 stalks celery ( I guess, tastes fine without it )
1 quart chicken stock ( or whatever covers the spuds.. You can just use water )
1 quart milk
1 tsp pepper
0.5 tsp tarragon
0.25 cup crushed garlic ( or a little less depending on whose coming for dinner )
0.75 cup flour ( or whatever, it's to make a white sauce, so it depends )
0.25 cup fresh parsley ( I have never tried this but it sounds great )
1 lb of bacon, diced, & fried crispy
1 large spanish onion ( the bigger the better )

How to do it:
Peel & quarter spuds ( see above video ) put in pot with chicken stock ( enough to cover spuds)
Chop celery and onion, fry and add to pot ( which you have boiling now right? )
Fry the bacon ( set aside, it goes in last )
Boil the spuds and mash, leaving chunks. Turn the heat down.
Make a white sauce. Melt butter ( lots of it - hell, I've used 0.75 of a lb! ) add flour until stiff, thin with Milk. This is the part where you decide how thick you like your potato soup. I like it "soup spoon stands up" thick. Add it to the soup when you're happy and add parsley ( or onion tops , or any kind of sliced greens ) and the bacon ( yes, with the grease)

Have with a slice of homemade buttered bread.

Very filling soup/stew. You can feed a family of 12 for a couple of bucks. ( the expensive parts are optional. Instead of bacon you can use ham or deer burger or whatever..

Here's how you get it around our place:



I've been thinking of some variations and will let you know how they turn out.

:::: Thin it bit and add clams.

:::: Use Turnips instead of spuds.

Time to stack some wood and fix a hole in Grandma's roof. By the way, contrary to some rumors that have been floating about, I am not planning on moving to Grandma's. That's for you when you come to visit for a while. I prefer to write my Manifesto from my office upstairs in the Big House. ( not the Big House)

Tomorrows Big Adventure: Learn how to build log homes with my Brother Tom. Just to be clear, I'll be learning, Tom's a master. And I'll be getting paid for it.