Saturday, January 12, 2013

Potato Soup, comfort food!

Creamy Potato Soup
12 oz. Hickory smoked bacon

8 stalks celery, chopped and 1 large yellow onion, diced

Skillet cook celery and onions in 2 tablespoons of bacon fat, until soft

Make a roux using 1 stick of butter and 1/2 cup flour. 
Stir continuously until smooth. Don't let it brown.

Pour 1 gallon whole milk into roux, add celery, onion, potatoes and spices. 
Stir continuously until near boiling.

 8 to 10 YELLOW or GOLD (not Russet!!) potatoes into 1/2" chunks

Cook soup on very low for 1 to 2 hours or until potatoes are done, stirring OFTEN. 

Prep time: 30 to 45 minutes, cooking  time 1 1/2 to 2 hours.       


This easy, delicious potato soup is my daughter's favorite soup. When she doesn't feel good or just needs a "Mom" fix, she asks for this soup.  Honestly, it couldn't be easier!  Ready?  Okay..here we go!

PREPARATION:

Brown 12 ounces of hickory smoked bacon in a skillet. Remove bacon to drain on paper towels, pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the skillet. Coarse chop the bacon, set it aside.

Chop 8 celery stalks and 1 large yellow onion (I don't chop all of the celery because my daughter doesn't like to eat celery. I only chop a little bit into the soup, the rest I leave in whole stalks and cook in the soup for flavor. I take them out and throw them away when the soup is done.)  Add the celery and onions to the bacon fat and cook on low (don't brown them) until cook just tender.

Peel 8 to 10 yellow or gold potatoes and chop into 1/2" chunks. Set aside. DO NOT USE RUSSETS, they are horrible in this soup and don't cook well.
                       
In your soup pot, melt 1 stick of butter (not margarine) and add 1/2 cup of all purpose flour. Stir continuously to make a roux, but don't brown the roux. Cook only until smooth.

Add one gallon of whole milk to the soup pot. Stir in the celery, onions, potatoes and coarse chopped bacon.

To the pot; add 1/2 cup of Knorr Brand chicken bouillon granules (from a jar, not cubes) add 2 bay leaves, 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, 3/4 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of oregano, 1/2 teaspoon of dried parsley flakes. 

COOK:
Stirring continuously, cook soup over medium/low heat until near boiling (this will take about a half and hour) then turn down heat to lowest setting on your stove and simmer covered. Stir VERY often because this milk based soup will stick, will boil over and will burn or scorch if you aren't careful. 
After about a half an hour, put 1 cup of cold water in a jar with a screw on lid; add 1/2 cup of flour, screw lid down and shake until smooth. Stir the smooth flour mixture into the soup pot and stir. Continue to cook until soup is completely thickened and potatoes are tender. 
Adjust the spices to suit your taste..I like a lot of pepper, you may not.  There is salt in the bouillon so go easy with the salt until you taste it.

Serve with French bread or saltine crackers.

Bon Appetit from Deep in the Heart of Texas! ♥
Priscilla Farmer, Lake Fort Phantom Hill, Jones County, Texas




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