Potato Soup

I recently saw a recipe for a potato soup with rosemary and parmigiano-reggiano cheese. Stupid me, I should have copied it down and did not, but it sounded delicious. I think it was a Marcella Hazan (whom I love) recipe. Ok, so I'm too cheap to buy the cookbook, where I could probably find it. :D

Anyone heard of this? Your suggestions are much appreciated. I'm hankering for that soup!

I don't have my Marcella's with me, but try this:

1/2 lb. diced pancetta or bacon
1 large onion, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 small sprigs fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
15 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
1 t. chopped garlic
2 quarts vegetable stock or water
1 C. cream
1/4 C. grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Garnish:
Chives or chopped scallions

Cook the pancetta in a large stockpot over medium heat until crispy. Add the onion to the pot and cook for 4-5 minutes until tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add thyme and rosemary sprigs and bay leaf; stir to mix thoroughly with the onion. Add potatoes and garlic; stir to coat them with the pancetta and onions. Add stock or water and bring the mixture to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Add cream and cheese and stir to blend. Remove bay leaf and purée about 1/3 of the soup in a blender (carefully!). Mix blended portion with the rest of the soup, taste and adjust seasoning. To serve, ladle hot soup into warm bowls and top with chopped chives or scallions.

That's gotta be very close to it, Grampy--I remember now. It was the addition of pancetta to the other ingredients that made my mouth water.

I recall now too reading that Yukon Gold taters are the way to go with this soup. Thanks so much; my kitchen and I now have a date with destiny!

Thanks, Grampy, that sounds so good.

Grampy just gave me a really easy mushroom soup recipe..wonder if he has a really easy cream of potato soup?

This is fairly simple, although I prefer to make my soup with a small head of cauliflower (to the horror of at least one of my dear Roadfood friends) in lieu of half the potato:

3 tb butter
1 cup chopped leek white
1/3 c chopped onions
4 cups diced peeled potatoes
4 cups chicken broth
Freshly ground pepper and salt to taste
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Garlic croutons
Fresh chopped parsley

In a large saucepan, melt 2 tb butter over medium-high heat. Saute leek and onion until tender. Add potatoes and broth. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. In batches, puree potato mixture in a blender (or use an immersible blender). Return to saucepan. Stir seasonings. Add the cheese and remaining tb butter and heat only until melted. Top with croutons and garnish with parsley.

Now this may sound like a silly question but I am going to ask it anyway.

I like cauliflower, and am familiar with it's flavor. What would the flavor of cauliflower bring to the soup that would enhance it? Does that make sense? I am trying to imagine half potato and half cauliflower....and it sounds good...but can't get an idea

It makes the texture silkier. You would swear there was cream in it. A potato leek soup usually has cream, so the cauliflower adds the creaminess without the fat.

Now it just dawned on me looking at the potato and mushroom soup recipes...in order for them to be cream of..doesn't there have to be cream in them or at least milk? I mean I always thought that was the base of the soup...is it the puree that gives it that texture instead?

Out here in the midwest I have found a few roadhouses that put (parish the thought)Velveta in potato soup. I have to say it's lip smakin' dee lish.