I wuv potatoes. This is a fact that no publog reader can ignore. My favouirte cookbook is In Praise Of The Potato by Lindsey Bareham, and my second favourite is A Celebration Of Soup by – er – Lindsey Bareham (you find a food writer you like and you stick to ’em). So why have I never made Potato Soup before?
I guess because potatoes, as the silent partner in meat and two veg, are considered to be tasteless stodge. Starchy flavour carriers, not actually zingy food in their own right. Yet I have never believe this. In my beloved Malaysian Chicken Curry & Rice from the Hare & Tortoise the best bit is the potato. The chunks of tattie in Scotch Broth make it. And do I really believe the leek is the main player in Vichyssoise?
So last night I pulled out both books for a plain potato soup. Mainly because I did not have much in the cupboard, but Lindsey did me proud. Potato soup is a wonderful thing, and the plainer the better: the potato, and sundry flavours come out. So sweat a small onion in butter for five minutes, chop up your potatoes (about a pound) and let it sweat for about five minutes. At this stage you may add a few extra flavours. I put a clove of garlic in, but next time my Sri Lankan Curry Powder will make an appearance. Herbs would work well. Potatoes, whilst tasting great by themselves, do enhance other flavours. Then add your stock (hello Marigold bouillon) – about a pint and a half. Simmer for ten minutes, blend and you can eat then if you want. Lindsey suggested an egg yolk/cream liaison to add creaminess and I tossed in some frozen peas and grated some Parmesan in. But tasting fresh from the blender, it was already wonderfully creamy.
Adventures in potato soup may well be the theme for the winter ahead…