Russian Potato Soup
Recipe: Russian Potato Soup
From: Bernard Clayton's Complete Book of Soups and Stews
Serves: 4, or 6-8 as a first course
3 Tbsp. butter
2 med. onions, finely chopped
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 lb. potatoes, peeled and diced
1 carrot, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. water, approximately
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp. basil
1 tsp. chicken bouillon or salt, if desired
1/3 c. bacon or ham bits, optional
2-3 c. chicken stock, heated (or vegetable stock)
1/8 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/8 tsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. dry sherry, optional
In a medium saucepan, heat butter and sauté onions, celery, potatoes, carrots, and garlic for about 15 min. over med.-low heat, taking care not to burn them.
Cover the vegetables with water (about 1 c.); add bay leaf, basil, and bouillon. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer until all vegetables are tender, 20-25 min. Mash into a coarse puree with a potato masher or briefly in a food processor.
While the vegetables are cooking, fry the bacon or ham until crisp and drain on paper towels.
Add the hot chicken stock and meat bits to the blend of vegetables in the saucepan. If soup becomes too thick, add more stock. Season with Worcestershire sauce, paprika, and sherry.
Notes:
As I've written it here, I've doubled the amount of potato from the original recipe; I found the soup too thin and not very potato-ish. Nice flavor, though, and with more potato it had more body.
I never put in the bacon/ham of course, SO not eating that. If you're a vegetarian you could use a good full-flavored vegetable stock in lieu of the chicken broth.
From: Bernard Clayton's Complete Book of Soups and Stews
Serves: 4, or 6-8 as a first course
3 Tbsp. butter
2 med. onions, finely chopped
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 lb. potatoes, peeled and diced
1 carrot, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. water, approximately
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp. basil
1 tsp. chicken bouillon or salt, if desired
1/3 c. bacon or ham bits, optional
2-3 c. chicken stock, heated (or vegetable stock)
1/8 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/8 tsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. dry sherry, optional
In a medium saucepan, heat butter and sauté onions, celery, potatoes, carrots, and garlic for about 15 min. over med.-low heat, taking care not to burn them.
Cover the vegetables with water (about 1 c.); add bay leaf, basil, and bouillon. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer until all vegetables are tender, 20-25 min. Mash into a coarse puree with a potato masher or briefly in a food processor.
While the vegetables are cooking, fry the bacon or ham until crisp and drain on paper towels.
Add the hot chicken stock and meat bits to the blend of vegetables in the saucepan. If soup becomes too thick, add more stock. Season with Worcestershire sauce, paprika, and sherry.
Notes:
As I've written it here, I've doubled the amount of potato from the original recipe; I found the soup too thin and not very potato-ish. Nice flavor, though, and with more potato it had more body.
I never put in the bacon/ham of course, SO not eating that. If you're a vegetarian you could use a good full-flavored vegetable stock in lieu of the chicken broth.