PLAIN POTATO SOUP RECIPES

Steps:

• Peel potatoes and cut into eighths and place in a large pot. Cover potatoes with water to about an inch above the potaoes. Add salt to taste. Boil about 20-25 mins, until potatoes are nice and soft and a fork goes through them easily. (Do not drain them)
• To the pot of potatoes and potato water, add the rest of the ingredients. (the onions must be grated as that is what really flavors the soup and gives it some texture)
• Take a potatoe masher and mash some but not all of the potatoes. Try to get the larger chunks. This will thicken it. Don't mash too much or it will be too thick. If it does get too thick, add some water. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat until hot and serve. *** The flavor is so pure and tastey that it makes it the best comfort food on a cold day!

Steps:

• In a large heavy-bottomed pot (like a Dutch oven), melt the butter over medium heat. When the butter is melted, stir in the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally until they begin to soften; 5 to 6 minutes.
• Stir in the garlic, rosemary, red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, and then cook, stirring everything around the pot, for 30 seconds.
• Scatter the flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring, until it looks medium blonde in color; about 1 minute. It will smell toasty, like browned butter.
• Slowly whisk in 2 cups of the stock, making sure there aren’t any lumps of flour. It will be thick.
• Pour in the remaining stock and whisk until blended. Increase the heat and bring the soup to a boil then reduce to a simmer.
• Add the potatoes and bay leaf, and then cook, partially covered, until the potatoes are fork tender; about 20 minutes.
• Turn the heat to low, remove the bay leaf, and then stir in the cream and cheese.
• Taste for seasoning then adjust with more salt and pepper as needed. Serve with fresh herbs on top or for a thick and blended soup, use a potato masher to mash or an immersion blender to blend about half of the potatoes in the soup (this is Joanne’s favorite way to serve the soup).