Beautiful Soup!
“Beautiful soup, so rich and green
Waiting in a hot tureen!
Who for such dainties would not stoop?
Soup of the evening, beautiful soup!
Beautiful soup! Who cares for fish
Game, or any other dish?
Who would not give all else for two
Pennyworth of beautiful soup?”
Lewis Carroll, “Alice in Wonderland’
Soup is a universal tool to warm the heart. When you are sick…soup. When you are tired…soup. When you are cold…soup. What I love most is that soup has its reflections in every culture… hot and sour, egg drop, matzoh ball, borscht, gumbo, veloute, French onion…etc. etc. Pho is probably one of my favorite meals. The slippery noodles and crunchy bean sprouts are the perfect side for thin slices of beef cooked to perfection in the aromatic broth. To me it is pure comfort.
I find myself under the weather today and all I can think about is the desire for soup. While most families make chicken soup when they are sick, my mom always made us potato soup. Most likely it was because the ingredients were in the pantry at any given time but none-the-less it has become synonymous with feeling icky.
When I make this soup I remember lying on the couch covered in blankets with a stuffy nose or sore throat feeling overall lousy. There was something so soothing about my mom bringing me a bowl with some saltines. I knew it meant the cold that was bothering me didn’t stand a chance. So next time you are sick instead of reaching for the chicken noodle take a moment and make some potato soup. You will be glad you did.
“I’m Sick”, Potato Soup:
1 small onion
3 carrots (peeled)
3 celery stalks.
3-4 Large Potatoes (cubed and peeled)
4-6 cups of chicken stock
1 sprig of Rosemary
2 sprigs of oregano (can used dry)
1 sprig of thyme (can used dry)
1/2 c milk
2 T butter
Salt and pepper
Saute onion, carrot and celery. (You can add ginger, bacon, or garlic if you desire to change the flavor of the soup). Once the onions become translucent, add potatoes and chicken stock to cover. Add herbs to stock. Boil until the potatoes are soft. Slightly mash them but make sure to keep the texture. You can play with the creaminess here by adding more or less milk and by draining some of the stock. I like my soup more stock then milk, but it is up to your taste. Add milk, butter, salt, and pepper.
Top with fresh parsley, crumbled bacon, and/or saltines.
restaurantwife 
One Response to “Beautiful Soup!”
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