Potato Soup: the Mother of Many Hardy Soups

"A hearty basic soup which creative cooks can use as a blank canvas. It has always been part of my kitchen, in lean days it was definitely a regular item on the menu. Comforting, filling and cheap it is one of the stars in my soup cookbook. Your pantry items and creativity will be your guide with this soup. You will find hints for vegatarian preparation."
 
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Ready In:
30mins
Ingredients:
7
Serves:
10
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ingredients

  • 14 lb bacon (* dice before cooking, if using vegan or turkey product you will need 2 Tbs oil for browning)
  • 12 cup diced onion
  • 6 medium potatoes, cubed, unpeeled and scrubbed
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 (12 ounce) cans evaporated milk (of your choice cow, goat or vegan)
  • 12 cup potato flakes ("Potato Buds" use more or less depending on desired thickness)
  • salt & pepper
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directions

  • Preparation.
  • In a large pot brown the bacon until just crisp.
  • Add onion and cook until translucent.
  • Add the potatoes and stir until coated with fat or oil, drain excess fat.
  • Carefully add the water & simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
  • Add the milk & adjust the seasoning. Don’t allow to boil, slowly add potato flakes until desired thickness is achieved. At this point you have very nice soup but, there so many things you can add to expand the flavor & textural experiences.
  • See the list below for ideas.
  • Irish Potato soup: add sliced scallions or leeks, a sprinkle of nutmeg & red pepper flakes just before adding milk.
  • Clam chowder: two (4 oz.) cans diced clams, 1 (8 oz.)bottle clam juice in place of 1 cup water& a generous dash nutmeg (add these just before the milk).
  • Corn chowder: 1 lb frozen corn or 1 (14 oz.)can creamed corn & 1 (14 oz.)can whole kernel corn, a splash or two of hot sauce.
  • Fish Chowder: At least 1 pound cubed firm fish such as Cod, add about five minutes before the potatoes are done, season to taste with dill, white pepper & hot Hungarian paprika.
  • The only real limitation is keeping the acid content down or you will curdle the milk. When working within a vegetarian diet you can use commercial meat substitutes or liquid smoke flavor. This quick, easy to make soup is an economical satisfying meal no matter what you choose to add. A loaf of bread & a salad make it a meal.

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Reviews

  1. I made this tonight for dinner with my in-laws and everyone raved about it! I did add some cheese to the soup, and then put some sour cream, bacon bits, and cheese on top--like a baked potato. Yummy! Thanks for sharing.
     
  2. recipei have done a Corn chowder recipe just like it.once you taste it you can't get enough
     
  3. Very nice formula for many hearty and satisfying soups. This is just what I'm looking for to help my teens/young adults learn how cooking is about learning the basics and then varying the ingredients to come up with many great dishes. I liked that the cooking water for the potatoes and potato flakes were both used in the soup as it gave me an opportunity to explain about starches and thickening. We prepared the Corn Chowder variation today and all loved it. We'll be back to try another variation and then again to see what creative ideas they may have. Thanks Rev. Theresa!
     
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

I work as a greenskeeper on Sacramento's premier municipal golf course. I take great pleasure in being able to work out in nature on a daily basis. <br>I am also an ordained minister. I love to write and perform custom weddings and other special ceremonies. <br>I have always enjoyed trying new recipes and tweeking old favorites to make them healthier. I have even written my own cookbook, Momma Theresa's Magical Book of Soups, as a gift for family, friends and clients. <br> <br>My pet peeve is people who aren't open to new ideas, be it about food,religion or life in general.
 
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