Recipe For Classic Potato Soup

ABSOLUTELY ULTIMATE POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until done. Remove bacon from pan, and set aside. Drain off all but 1/4 cup of the bacon grease.
• Cook celery and onion in reserved bacon drippings until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes. Add cubed potatoes, and toss to coat. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Return bacon to the pan, and add enough chicken stock to just cover the potatoes. Cover, and simmer until potatoes are tender.
• In a separate pan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the heavy cream, tarragon, and cilantro. Bring the cream mixture to a boil, and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir the cream mixture into the potato mixture. Puree about 1/2 the soup, and return to the pan. Adjust seasonings to taste.

BEST EVER POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, stirring occasionally; drain drippings. Add vegetables, seasonings and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, 10-15 minutes., Mix flour and milk until smooth; stir into soup. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in cheese until melted. If desired, serve with green onions.

POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Combine diced potatoes, carrots, celery and onions with chicken broth in a large pot and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Cover pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat (it will take about 10 minutes to reach a boil).
• Once it reaches a boil reduce heat to medium and continue to cook about 15 - 20 minutes longer until potatoes are very soft when pierced with a fork.
• Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan melt butter over medium heat, add flour and cook for 1 minute while whisking constantly. While whisking, slowly add milk and cook, stirring constantly until mixture begins thicken.
• Once potatoes are soft add thickened milk mixture to potato soup mixture and stir (potatoes should start breaking down into soup).
• Add sour cream and mix well.
• Ladle soup into serving bowls, top each serving with bacon or ham, cheddar cheese and green onions.

OLD-FASHIONED POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes.
• While the onions are cooking, place the diced potatoes, carrots, water and chicken soup base (or vegetable base; see Cook's Note) in another pot and bring to a boil. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Do not overcook. Season with ground black pepper to taste.
• Add the flour to the cooked onions to make a paste. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Gradually add the milk and stir well. Cook over low heat stirring constantly until warmed through. Add the potato and carrot mixture. Stir in the parsley and thyme and heat through. Serve hot.

CLASSIC POTATO LEEK SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a large wide pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, leeks and onion and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until soft and not browned, about 12 minutes. Raise the heat to medium-high, pour in the wine and continue to cook, uncovered, until almost dry, about 4 minutes.
• Add the potatoes, bay leaf, thyme, 7 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook, covered, until the potatoes are very tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
• Remove and discard the thyme and bay leaf. Working in batches, transfer the mixture to a blender and carefully puree until smooth, taking care not to fill the carafe more than half full per batch, or puree with an immersion blender in the pot. Reheat the soup over medium heat until steaming.
• Whisk in the cream and lemon juice. Adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves, a drizzle of oil and a frizzled leeks or shallot if using.

LOADED POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• In 12-inch skillet, cook bacon over medium heat 6 to 7 minutes or until crisp; drain on paper towels. Crumble bacon; set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet. Cook onion in bacon drippings over medium-high heat 6 minutes or until almost tender.
• In 6-quart Dutch oven, mix onion, broth and potatoes. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cook 10 minutes or until potatoes are very tender.
• Meanwhile, in same skillet, melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour with whisk until smooth. Cook and stir 1 minute. Gradually stir in 2 cups of the milk. Pour milk mixture into potato mixture. Add remaining 2 cups milk, the salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with whisk, until mixture is thickened and bubbly.
• Stir in ham, half of the bacon, the sour cream, 2 cups of the cheese and 1/2 cup of the green onions. Cook until thoroughly heated and cheese is melted. Evenly top individual servings with remaining bacon, 1/2 cup cheese and 1/4 cup green onions.

OLD FASHIONED POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• In a large pot cook 1st four ingredients until potatoes are soft.
• Combine flour and butter and cook over medium-low heat until a smooth paste is formed (approx. 2 minutes) Thicken potato mixture with flour mixture.
• Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
• Simmer until creamy, at least 30 minutes.
• We enjoy a thicker soup so I double the flour and butter or add a 1/2 of the small cube of velveeta at the final step.