Cream soup base and basics.

 

Cream soups are actually very easy, very yummy, comfort food. The base for all of them is very similar.

 

1 box - Powdered Milk (the 32 serving size)

3 Quarts - Chicken Stock

2 sticks - Lightly salted butter

1 1/2 cups - All purpose flour

1 - Large Onion (diced fine)

1/4 tsp - Nutmeg

1/4 tsp - Cayenne pepper

 

 

 

1. In a large stock pot, melt the butter and add the onions.

2. Cook on low for a good long time, to extract the starch from the onions.

3. While the onions are cooking, in a gallon container, mix the powdered milk with the chicken stock.

4. Once the onions are really soft and mushy, and smell sweet, add the flour to make a roux.

5. Raise the heat to medium. Cook and stir the flour mix until it just starts to turn a little brown.

6. Raise the temperature to high and start adding the milk/stock mixture. Stir constanly with a whisk.

7. Add all but a cup of the mixture and bring to a boil. Stirring the entire time.

8. If it is too thick, add the remainder of the milk/stock. Usually it takes the full amount, but sometimes it doesn't quite need it all.

9. Remember full thickness is not achieved until it comes to a boil. You don't want to scorch it, so as soon as it comes to a boil you can turn the heat down to low.

10. Stir in the nutmeg and cayenne.

 

And that's your basic cream soup base

 

 

 

So, if you were making potato chowder. You would need to add

 

8oz - Country ham diced fine

4lbs - Potatoes (I boil the potatoes skin on so they hold their starch. Let them cool completely. Then peel and dice them.)

2 cans - Whole kernel corn (drained)

 

- Add the ham when you add the onions. It needs to cook a bit to extract the flavors.

- Add the Potatoes and the corn at the end, and let them simmer a bit.

 

 

For potato cheddar w/bacon, add:

 

1 lb - Bacon

4 lbs - Potatoes (same as above)

8 oz - shredded cheddar

 

- Dice the bacon and cook until crisp - set bacon aside.

- Reduce the butter amount by 3 tablespoons and add 3 tablespoons of bacon drippings in its place

- Make the cream base as above

- Stir in the cheese until melted.

- Stir in potatoes and bacon.

With the impending cold white death on its way, and 5 pound bags of potatoes on sale at Kroger, I started thinking about potato soup. It would probably be a lot better on Thursday when the temperatures drop down to the negatives, but I couldn't help but make a batch tonight.

Artery-Clogging Cream Of Potato Soup*

(5) pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 to 3/4 inch pieces
(1-1/2) pounds thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
(7) cups chicken or vegetable broth
(5) green onions, sliced, and greens separated from whites
(2) medium onions, finely chopped
(2) carrots, finely diced
(1) cup half-and-half
(8) ounces cream cheese
(6) tablespoons flour
(3) tablespoons butter
(2) tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
(1-1/2) teaspoons Frank's Red Hot sauce
(3/4) teaspoon celery seeds
(1/2) teaspoon white pepper
Kosher salt
Shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1) Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside. Drain bacon drippings, and return 1/4 to 1/3 of the drippings to the pot.

2) Reduce heat to medium. Add carrots along with a pinch or two of salt and soften for 3 to 4 minutes before adding another two pinches of the onions and the whites of the green onions to soften. Cook until onions are softened, but not browned.

3) Add in flour, celery seeds, and white pepper and stir until combined.

4) Add the potatoes and chicken/vegetable stock. Bring to boil over high heat, and then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender but not falling apart.

5) Remove the pot from the heat and transfer 1 cup of the potatoes to a blender. Add the half-and-half, cream cheese, and parmesan cheese to the blender and blend until smooth.

6) Stir the mixture from the blender back into the pot, along with half of the green onion greens, half of the bacon and the Frank's Red Hot sauce. Bring to a low simmer and salt to taste.

7) Dish into bowls and garnish with the remaining bacon, green onion greens, and cheddar cheese to serve.


* Not libel for any detriments to cardiovascular health due to the recipe.