Comfort Food: Potato Soup

The creamy, subtle goodness that is potato soup can be a wonderfully comforting dinner for a brisk spring evening.

Potato soup is something that I grew up making and I still crave it every now and then.  While there are a few tricks (such as not getting distracted and letting the potatoes overcook or adding too much milk), it is a good dish when you are learning to cook and the many variation options help keep it from getting old.  You can add in different cheeses, sprinkle with bacon or brown ground beef, add sliced green onions, etc.  Just make sure you use a flavorful potato, I like yukon gold or baby red potatoes. 

Potato Soup

2 cups peeled, diced potatoes
1 small onion diced Or 2 leeks
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 cup half and half
1- 1/2 cups milk, approximate

1 egg
1/4 to 1/2 cup flour

In a medium sized stock pan lightly sautee the onion and garlic in 1 tablespoon butter until it is nearly translucent and fragrant, stir in the thyme, salt, and pepper.  Add in the potatoes, stir.  Add enough water to cover the potatoes and bring to boil. 

In a small bowl stir the egg with a fork, gradually adding flour until the mixture is crumbly.  Cook the potatoes for approximately 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender, adding the egg/flour mixture in scant teaspoon sized drops to the boiling water (these only take a minute to cook).

Drain out approximately half of the water.  Stir in enough half and half and milk to bring to the desired consistency, stir in the remaining butter.  If desired, you can use an immersion blender to make a smoother soup.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

~ Tara