# Basic Potato Soup.



## onepiece (Jan 24, 2011)

I really enjoy soups, and have been working on how to make them.  I have been making a soup where I boil potatoes, and onions, then drain the water off.  Add milk, corn starch, and allow it to heat up (but not boil).  Butter, thyme, parsely, and sour cream is added with cheese.  The soups flavor is okay, but there is an odd grainy texture to the soup.  Not sure what is causing that.  If you have any good basic soup potato soup recipes, could you please share them?


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## ishbel (Jan 5, 2007)

The potatoes will give a grainy, starchy mouth-feel to the soup and, depending on the type of cheese, it may also contribute.

Surely you'd be better off doing something like a vichysoisse or a British-style leek and potato soup?


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

I think it's a shame to throw away the nutrition and flavor you already cooked into the water. My preferred potato soup recipe is in this thread http://www.cheftalk.com/forum/thread/37302/lf-potato-soup-recipe


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## onepiece (Jan 24, 2011)

Phatch, which recipe on that thread?  There is a couple on there.


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

Mine, of course.

Phil


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## onepiece (Jan 24, 2011)

Thanks for the recipe.  I will try it this week.  Always appreciate the advice on these forums.


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## maryb (Mar 21, 2008)

Fry off some bacon, set it aside and drain some of the fat. Add chopped onion and celery and cook until the onion is clear. Add diced potatoes to the pan and cover with milk. Bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are almost tender. Add the bacon back to the pan and continue cooking until the potatoes are done. I have found that the slower the simmer the less grainy the soup gets.


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

OnePiece said:


> I really enjoy soups, and have been working on how to make them. I have been making a soup where I boil potatoes, and onions, then drain the water off. Add milk, corn starch, and allow it to heat up (but not boil). Butter, thyme, parsely, and sour cream is added with cheese. The soups flavor is okay, but there is an odd grainy texture to the soup. Not sure what is causing that. If you have any good basic soup potato soup recipes, could you please share them?


You have let it come to a re boil or to hot and the sour cream broke making it grainy.. Use Mary's recipe above.for a basic potato soup.
Finish with some Heavy Cream.


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## onepiece (Jan 24, 2011)

Thanks for all the info, really appreciate it.  I guess I will be purchasing half and half, or some form of cream while at the store.


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## chefbillyb (Feb 8, 2009)

Make a Clam Chowder with out Clams and clam juice, add chicken stock and more potatoes (I want flavor ) Live happily ever after.


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

OnePiece said:


> Thanks for all the info, really appreciate it. I guess I will be purchasing half and half, or some form of cream while at the store.


I have seen in a few places that if you wanted soup a bit heavier stir in some instant mashed,potato. I tried it in Clam Chowder it worked well..


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## onepiece (Jan 24, 2011)

Instant mashed potatoes seem like a good idea on thickening it, thanks for posting./img/vbsmilies/smilies/licklips.gif


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## pcieluck (Dec 9, 2010)

My potato soup recipe.  The general consensus is that it can get a guy laid.

4 strips of bacon

1 lbs each of potatoes and onions

milk

heavy cream

blond stock

1 lb of pasta

pesto (preferably hand made and coarse)

parsley

peccorino romano

1. fry bacon

2. add onion garlic and potato and brown

3. add 2c each of milk and stock. I add 1c of water here, because i use home made stock which is greatly reduced and very rich. you may want to use more stock instead of water if using store-bought stock.

4. simmer for 10 minutes. right now the the color is ugly. i pormise it'll look pretty agian once the cream is stirred in.

5. Add pasta, and simmer until tender.

6. Blind in cream.

7. Season to taste, add chopped parsley, and peccorino romano

8. You can add the pesto to taste now as well, or you can serve the soup in bowls with a bold scoop of pesto sitting on top. it's a nice presentation.


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

pcieluck said:


> My potato soup recipe. The general consensus is that it can get a guy laid.
> 
> 4 strips of bacon
> 
> ...


This is a nice recipe for your type of taste. It is not however basic potato soup.which most of the rest are. Only thing I don't like about it is your adding a starch (Pasta your ingredient # 5 unless this is a typo) to a starch which for me would be a bit to much starch.


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## leeniek (Aug 21, 2009)

Thanks for the recipe, pcieluck.  I will have to try that sometime, less the pasta as the potato is enough starch for me


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## leeniek (Aug 21, 2009)

My "go to" soup at work is potato-bacon and it is served with a sprinkling of grated cheddar (white or otherwise).  I'm sure you could serve it with any shredded cheese you have on hand and the results would be just as good. 

I will do my best with the quantities but ultimately what you are after with this is a thickish soup (not gluey but not watery either) and there is no cream added at all.  The only milk product I add is the cheese to serve.

Potato Bacon Soup

1 onion, roughly chopped

8 slices uncooked bacon

6 good sized potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped

Seasonings to taste... I use a combo of garlic powder, Mrs Dash (vegetable salt-substitute... if you guys can't get Mrs Dash the Kirkland Organic No-Salt seasoning from Costco is a good sub for it), thyme, sage and a pinch of parsley

Butter or olive oil about 3 tbsp

about  6 litres of vegetable or chicken broth... more or less depending on the size of your Dutch Oven

To serve.. grated cheddar (or otherwise) cheese and very finely slined green onion ( scallion)

Heat butter or oil in the Dutch oven.  Add bacon and onions.  Let cook until onions are translucent.  Add potatoes and seasonings and cook for another 15-20 minutes.  Add broth.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.  Simmer partially covered for 2 hours.  (you can simmer it for only an hour but I prefer long simmered soups) Using a blender (can be an immersion blender) puree soup in batches if need be.  Return to Dutch oven and add more broth if needed.  Simmer for at least 30 minutes.  Serve garnished with shredded cheese and finley sliced green onion (scallion)

Note that there is no salt and pepper in my recipe... I have found that there is enough salt in the bacon and the broth for it not to be added but you may want to taste it and add salt if you think it is necessary.

Enjoy!


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## simonbaker (Mar 3, 2011)

I make potato & ham soup 4 gallons at a time.

Peel & dice 10-12 lbs. potatoes, Steam & drain.

In a steam jacket kettle(trunyan kettle)

1 !b. butter

1/2 gall. coarse chop celery

1/4 gal. coarse chop carrots

2 lg. onions, diced

cook together approx. 10-15 min.

Add 4 c. flour. Incorporate flour into vegetables to make a roux. Cook an additional 2-3 minutes.  Season with garlic, ground thyme, ground rosemary, & a touch of cayene pepper. Add 3/4 c. white wine, cook paste an additional 2-3 min.  Add 1/2 lb. of chicken base.  Add 11/2-2 gallons water & 2-3 bags of non-dairy creamer. Use alarge whip to incorporate. Cook awhile until it starts to thicken. Add pre steamed potatoes & diced ham.


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## onepiece (Jan 24, 2011)

Thanks for all the recipes. Don't own a dutch oven yet, but might purchase one in the future. Really appreciate all the replies. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

got some on the stove.

very similar to Mary's.


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## onepiece (Jan 24, 2011)

I have been using the recipe posted by phatch, and it is really great. Relatives really like it. I will be making another batch of the soup on Sunday, because a relative wanted to take it to her office on Monday. I will be jotting down the measurements for the batch made on Sunday. I think that going with 2% for 2 cups, and 1 cup of Half and half seems to work really good, but I will be making sure on Sunday. Thank you all for the great recipes. Thanks Phatch!/img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif


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