Potato Soup

Hello there! Welcome to Everyday Veggie's Soup Month! To kick-start soup month, we are going going back to the roots with our mother's classic Potato Soup. We haven't talked too much about our family here on Everyday Veggies, but it is important that we give credit where credit is due, and we definitely have to give credit for our love of veggies to our dear mother. 

That woman ^, she is probably one of the coolest women you will ever meet. Most importantly, she raised six pretty incredible daughters, and if you know all of us, you understand that is no small feat (we are kind of a handful), especially knowing that she didn't really have a mother role model (her mom passed away when our mom was three). 

My mom's mother was a very German woman, and when my mom was a teenager she was able to go back to Germany to get in touch with her roots. Mom is very proud of her German heritage and loves to make anything German. When we were growing up she made a "German" potato soup that was a staple at the Wixom household. It was one of those perfectly delicious, warm winter soups that always sounds inviting on a chilly day. And so, for our first soup during Soup Month, our dear mother is going to be guest blogging, featuring her delicious potato soup! 

1. First you will start off with 6 large potatoes. Yukon or Red are the best, but Russet will work in a pinch. Peel and dice the potatoes into about 1" chunks. Set aside

2. Next chop 1 medium-large onion and 1 carrot however you prefer - I usually cut them into coins - and then 2-3 cloves of garlic. If you have a really big sauté pan (12-1/2 in or 4 qt), go ahead and use it for the soup.

If you don't have a sauté pan that large, use a nice enameled cast iron pot, or just a normal stove top pot. The cookware is listed in order of preferred pots for this dish. If you don't have an enameled cast iron pot, it's a great staple for the kitchen and we highly recommend investing in one! They are incredible versatile and you'll see them around in a few dishes here.

3. Back on track- melt 1 tablespoon of butter in your pot of choice over medium heat. Once melted add the garlic and onion. Saute for about 3 minutes then add your carrots. Saute until the onions are fragrant and the carrots are looking bright, around 5 minutes.

4. Next add the potatoes and continue to sauté for about 3-4 minutes.

Now comes the secret ingredient - tarragon. You can't really make this dish without tarragon. Our favorite is French tarragon from Penzeys Spices. If you haven't heard of Penzeys Spices, we highly recommend checking them out. They have really high-quality spices and they are a favorite here at Everyday Veggies.

5. Add 2 teaspoons tarragon (fresh or dried), 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

6. Add 2 1/2 cups of broth, either veggie or chicken. Bring to a boil, cover and turn on low and let simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a fork.

Now you have two choices: if you like a completely smooth soup, skip this next step and puree everything. If you like a little chunk in your soup, take a slotted spoon and remove about 1 1/2 cups of potatoes. Set on a cutting board to cool for a few minutes, then roughly chop. We will add this back in at the very end before serving.

7. Put the soup in a blender, or if you have an immersion blender you can use that, as well (you may need to do this in batches). Blend up the soup, adding 1 cup of cream in before bending and add the second cup of cream in when you are half way done. It is VERY important to not over blend or the potatoes will become too gummy. Add in the last 3 tablespoons of butter and the roughly chopped potato when all blended. Salt and pepper to taste.

8. Sprinkle on roughly chopped chives or parsley for garnish. Serve immediately.



I hope you enjoy this creamy soup, and stay tuned for more delectable soups this month!

German Potato Soup

6 large Yukon potatoes (red or Russet will work in a pinch), peeled and chopped into 1" cubes
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1 medium-large onion, diced
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
4 tablespoons butter
1 pint (2 cups) cream (preferred) or unsweetened almond milk
2 1/2 cups broth, chicken or vegetable
2 teaspoons tarragon (fresh or dried)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

1. In a very large sauté pan or cast iron pot, melt 1 tablespoon of butter of medium heat. Add garlic, onion and carrot and sauté for 3-5 minutes, until onion is fragrant and carrots are a bright orange. Add chopped potatoes and spices. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Cover, turn to medium-low and let simmer for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are cooked and easily pierced with a fork.
2. Transfer soup to a blender or use immersion blender. If you like a bit more texture to the soup, remove about 1 1/2 cups of cooked potatoes before blending. Add in the last three tablespoons of butter and 1 cup of cream or unsweetened almond milk and blend until almost smooth. Add the last cup of cream/almond milk and blend till desired consistency. DON'T over blend as the soup will become gummy.
3. Add in reserved potatoes (if desired), season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh parsley or chives.