Soups: Potato Soup

Subject: Potato Soup
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: smitty456 at webtv.net (J S)
Date: Wed, 16 May 2007 19:27:43 -0400
--------
Ive been reading this group for a while now and enjoy it very much.I need help finding a way to make potato soup.Being from up north I recall having some of the best Ive ever tasted in a tiny nj eatery.Unfortunatlly,the lady who made it passed away,and Ive never been able to duplicate itThe owner of the place was no help.it was very creamy and had a garlic tang to it,,,can someone help?.It had a starter base of bacon,thats all I know and the lady was from the south.Alabama I think.
Thanks.Smitty
From: Julia Altshuler (jaltshuler at comcast.net)
Date: Wed, 16 May 2007 19:48:24 -0400
--------
Naturally I can't say for sure, but I'd guess the soup was made with a rich home-made chicken stock. It sounds like the fat was rendered from the bacon. Onions and garlic would then be browned in the fat. Then chopped, peeled potatoes and stock would have been added. The soup was then boiled to soften the potatoes. Perhaps the potatoes were then passed through a food mill. (Or not. Was the soup chunky or smoothe?) Then cream, salt, and perhaps more garlic, were added.

--Lia
From: Melba's Jammin' (barbschaller at earthlink.net)
Date: Wed, 16 May 2007 21:15:11 -0500
--------
Julia Altshuler wrote:
> Naturally I can't say for sure, but I'd guess the soup was made with a
> rich home-made chicken stock. It sounds like the fat was rendered from
> the bacon. Onions and garlic would then be browned in the fat. Then
> chopped, peeled potatoes and stock would have been added. The soup was
> then boiled to soften the potatoes. Perhaps the potatoes were then
> passed through a food mill. (Or not. Was the soup chunky or smoothe?)
> Then cream, salt, and perhaps more garlic, were added.

Sounds like a pretty good soup, Lia. :-)
From: Mr Libido Incognito (Not at vaild.null)
Date: Thu, 17 May 2007 02:42:47 GMT
--------
Julia Altshuler wrote:
> Naturally I can't say for sure, but I'd guess the soup was made with a
> rich home-made chicken stock. It sounds like the fat was rendered
> from the bacon. Onions and garlic would then be browned in the fat.
> Then chopped, peeled potatoes and stock would have been added. The
> soup was then boiled to soften the potatoes. Perhaps the potatoes
> were then passed through a food mill. (Or not. Was the soup chunky
> or smoothe?)
> Then cream, salt, and perhaps more garlic, were added.

Bet I'm north of you....

The base for this soup is chicken stock and lots of left over mashed potatoes and it could, in a pinch, be called potato soup. I've been told it is very good.

Perhaps you could, from this recipe, get closer to the soup you're looking for. Just fiddle with it a bit. The potatoes were mashed with salt, pepper, butter and a little milk; as that's the way I make my mashed potatoes. And this soup is a recipe to use up left overs. If it isn't 'thick enough' add instant potato flakes.

Beware I am a heavy hand with the garlic so cut it back a bit if that's a problem.

Vadalia Onion Chowder

Categories: Soups/Chowders

4 slices bacon -chopped bite sized; -not crumbled
2 tbsp olive oil; or use bacon fat
4 vadialia onions; sliced
2-3 cups mashed potatoes (leftovers); I used 3
4 cloves garlic; minced
2 boxes chicken stock (approx 30 oz)
2 cups corn kernels (I used 2 cans)
2 bay leaf; (optional)
1/4 tsp dried thyme
fresh ground black pepper; LOTS
salt to taste
sour cream; see note*

Fry the bacon crisp. drain well the bacon and reserve. (Used later.)
Heat bacon fat in large pot. low medium to med heat.
Make the onions bite sized, add to pot, cook till tender, about 10 min.
Mince the garlic, add to pot, cook 1 minute or so more.
Add broth, potatoes; stir well, then add the corn, bay leaves, thyme.
Increase heat to mediun high. Bring the soup to a boil.
Remove the pot from the heat. Remove the bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper.

Add sour cream.

*Note add the sour cream just before serving by the tablespoon per bowl.

This freezes better without the sour cream.

Serve in soup bowls, and sprinkle crumbled bacon on top.

Notes from my recipe software that I've added over time:

this recipe may need more garlic than called for.

Note: I just stirred the crumbled bacon in with the whole batch.

I used some turkey Stock in with this (excellent.)

Used 5 or 6 sweet onions

6-7 potatoes served as mashed.

I Didn't have vidalia onions so I used locally grown sweet onions instead.

I added a coarsely grated carrot for colour.

I think some brocolli florets might be nice 'for colour' as well

Contributor: Alan
From: Terry Pulliam Burd (ntpulliam at spaminator.net)
Date: Wed, 16 May 2007 19:12:42 -0700
--------
J S rummaged among random neurons and opined:
>Ive been reading this group for a while now and enjoy it very much.I
>need help finding a way to make potato soup.Being from up north I
>recall having some of the best Ive ever tasted in a tiny nj
>eatery.Unfortunatlly,the lady who made it passed away,and Ive never been
>able to duplicate itThe owner of the place was no help.it was very
>creamy and had a garlic tang to it,,,can someone help?.It had a starter
>base of bacon,thats all I know and the lady was from the south.Alabama I
>think.

What you recall tasting in the potato soup might not have been garlic, but leeks (the below has no bacon in it, but you could certainly saute some chopped raw bacon in with the leeks):

Leek And Potato Soup

soups and stews

5 leeks
3 tablespoons butter
3 cups potatoes; diced
1 quart chicken broth
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour

Wash the leeks, split them lengthwise, and cut into thin slices after removing all sand. Saute in 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet for about 4 mins. Add the potatoes and the broth and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 mins. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender. Season to taste with salt, cayenne and nutmeg. Strain out the vegetables and puree in food processor. Return to the broth. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over low heat and stir in the flour. Add 1 1/2 cups of the broth and blend well until the mixture thickens. Return to the kettle and stir until soup comes to a boil.

Vichyssoise variation:

Prepare soup as above and allow it to cool. Add 1 1/2 cups heavy cream and blend well. Chill in refrigerator. Serve chilled.

Contributor: James Beard

Yield: 4 servings
Terry Pulliam Burd
From: Clay Irving (clay at panix.com)
Date: Thu, 17 May 2007 21:05:37 +0000 (UTC)
--------
This is a really good potato soup!

http://www.panix.com/~clay/cookbook/bin/show_recipe.cgi?soup+recipe1
From: isw (isw at witzend.com)
Date: Wed, 16 May 2007 20:34:18 -0700
--------
J S wrote:
> Ive been reading this group for a while now and enjoy it very much.I
> need help finding a way to make potato soup.

Old family recipe. Try it before you knock it.

Isaac
_______

Potato-Pasta Soup

2-3 Potatoes -- Waxy, Yukon Gold or Red
1 can Evaporated Milk (not the sweetened stuff)
2 oz. Spaghetti
1-2 tbsp. butter
salt and black pepper

Peel and cube potatoes into 1/2" dice. Put in cold water, add salt and bring to a boil. After potatoes boil for a few (3 or so) minutes, break up spaghetti and add. You don't want mushy potatoes, so it takes some practice to know what size to cube the potatoes, but they should both be done about the same time. Drain well, add evaporated milk, butter, salt, pepper, and if you like, dilute with a little of the water the potatoes were boiled in.
From: Gregory Morrow (flyokaylfycsa at letistebrno.cz)
Date: Thu, 17 May 2007 14:58:47 GMT
--------
isw wrote
> Potato-Pasta Soup
>
> 2-3 Potatoes -- Waxy, Yukon Gold or Red
> 1 can Evaporated Milk (not the sweetened stuff)
> 2 oz. Spaghetti
> 1-2 tbsp. butter
> salt and black pepper

Ye gawds, this is so bland as to be "convalescent" food, looks like one of those "sick room" recipes from my mom's c. 1930 high school home economics textbook...

Needs some livenin' up, at least add an onion, some hot sauce, some garlic, some paprika, some *something*...as is it reminds me of the tragically bland Midwest Germano - Norwegian "cuisine" I grew up with.
From: isw (isw at witzend.com)
Date: Thu, 17 May 2007 23:26:11 -0700
--------
Gregory Morrow wrote:
> Ye gawds, this is so bland as to be "convalescent" food, looks like one of
> those "sick room" recipes from my mom's c. 1930 high school home economics
> textbook...
>
> Needs some livenin' up, at least add an onion, some hot sauce, some garlic,
> some paprika, some *something*...as is it reminds me of the tragically bland
> Midwest Germano - Norwegian "cuisine" I grew up with.

I love spicy more than most, and I can eat hotter dishes than almost anybody I know. And I love this soup.

And 'll bet you didn't follow my advice, did you? You just knocked it without trying it first.

Isaac
From: Caryn Nadelberg (caryn at nadelberg.com)
Date: Thu, 17 May 2007 17:34:47 -0700
--------
J S wrote:
> Ive been reading this group for a while now and enjoy it very much.I
> need help finding a way to make potato soup.

I have a recipe for a baked potato soup. It is quite yummy. We got the recipe from a winery in Sonoma. It says it serves 4, but it sure seems like quite a few more servings than that. Unless they are 4 very, very hungry people.

Baked Potato Soup - Larson Family Winery

4 baking potatoes
2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups milk
1 cup chopped scallions (or green onions)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 slices bacon - about 1 lb before cooking
5 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream

Bake potatoes 1 hour in a 400 degree F oven. Cut potatoes in half, and scoop out the inside of the potatoes and set aside. Reserve the skins, and back in oven until crisp to use as small edible bowls if you wish. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium low heat. Stir in the flour to make a roux. Cook about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually pour in the milk while stirring until all the milk has been added. Bring heat to medium and keep stirring until the soup mixture starts to get thick. Add the potatoes, green onions, salt, ground black pepper, bacon and cheese. Stir well and continue to heat for about 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to blend. Stirring well, mix in the sour cream until well blended with the soup. If the soup is too thick, add milk, chicken broth or water. Serve immediately in the baked potatoes halves for a little extra fun. Top with extra chopped green onions or cheddar cheese. Serves 4.
From: kilikini (kilikini1 at NOSPAMhotmail.com)
Date: Fri, 18 May 2007 03:50:08 -0400
--------
Caryn Nadelberg wrote:
> Baked Potato Soup - Larson Family Winery

That recipe sounds fantastic! I'm going to have to give it a try. I've got everything on hand except bacon and potatoes, though. :~)
From: Chatty Cathy (cathy1234 at mailinator.com)
Date: Fri, 18 May 2007 10:44:14 +0200
--------
kilikini wrote:
> That recipe sounds fantastic! I'm going to have to give it a try. I've got
> everything on hand except bacon and potatoes, though. :~)

Me three.