Fool proof food
Most people would have potatoes and onions in the house even if the cupboards were otherwise bare, so this ‘simply delicious’ soup could be made at a moment’s notice. While the vegetables are sweating, pop a few white buttermilk scones into the oven!
Serves 6
2 ozs (55g) butter
4 ozs (110g) diced onions
15 ozs (425g) peeled diced potatoes eg Golden Wonders or Kerrs Pinks
1 generous tsp salt
Lots of freshly ground pepper
36flozs (1L) home made chicken stock
4 fl ozs (130ml) cream or creamy milk, approx.
Parsley Pesto (see recipe below)
Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. When it foams, add the potatoes and onions and toss until well-coated. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and sweat on a gentle heat for 10 minutes. Add the stock and cook until the vegetables are just soft. Puree the soup in a blender. Taste and adjust seasoning. Thin with creamy milk to the required consistency.
Put a swirl of parsley pesto on top of each soup before serving.
Other good things to serve with potato soup:
* 1. Cut 4ozs streaky bacon into lardons (little strips). Cook until crisp on a hot pan in a little oil. Drain on kitchen paper. Sprinkle over the soup with some chopped parsley, just before serving.
* 2. Stir a mixture of freshly-chopped herbs eg parsley, chives, thyme, mint into about 2ozs of softly whipped cream. Put a blob on top of each bowl of soup.
* 3. Fresh mint-flavoured cream is also delicious, particularly if you add some freshly chopped mint to the soup just before liquidising .
* 4. Dice of roast red pepper mixed with cream and coarsely chopped basil or coriander.
3 ozs (85g) chorizo sausage
Flat parsley sprigs
Make the soup as in the master recipe. Slice the chorizo thinly - you will need 18 slices. Cook on a medium heat on a frying pan.
Just before serving, lay three slices of chorizo on top of each bowl of soup. Drizzle with chorizo oil and garnish with sprigs of flat parsley.
25g (1oz) flat parsley leaves (no stalks)
1-2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
40g (1½ozs) freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
25g (1oz) pine kernels
75ml (3 fl ozs) extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Put all the ingredients except the oil into the food processor. Whizz for a second or two, add the oil and a little salt. Taste and correct seasoning.
