Soups of Winter

Making soup is one of the things I can do well. Good thing. I think I could enjoy a steamy bowl of it every day during the winter months. Today I will be fixing minestrone ala Southern USA. "Ala" because...if I had access to the vegetables and fresh herbs that are grown in Italian soil and under its sun, and made my own pasta and soaked my own cannellini, I would call it the real thing. Ingredients are the gene pool of cooking. I finally learned from a pastry chef the reason my breads weren't like European breads. It's the flour that I cannot get here! How basic is that! However there are some American ingredients available to us all, such as good old potatoes. Last night I made some creamy potato soup and it was soothing and yummy. At least annually I will cook a pot of my daddy's favorite, bean soup, which is basically navy beans and ham. I have a butternut squash on the counter waiting to be the main ingredient in a soup to be cooked within the next couple of days. Here in South Carolina, many people like cornbread with their soups. Some prefer crackers. For me, I don't like to spoil the character of a good soup and take it straight. The potato soup I fixed last night is bedtime fare. The warm milky base calms and relaxes. Here is somewhat of a recipe. For some reason, I had never used onions before yesterday's pot but really liked it. And of course any veggie can be added along with the potatoes.

Potato Soup
Boil about a cup or cup and a half of cut up potatoes til barely done and still holding their shape. (I used red potatoes, left about half of the skin on, and they were perfect.) In the pot you will be making the soup in, saute a few thin slices of white onion in a mixture of butter and olive oil (about 3-4 tablespoons total) over med low heat til soft. Add same amount of flour as you did butter and whisk around over same heat til frothy. Add about one cup (or more) of chicken broth or bouillon (I currently prefer the Wyler's bouillon) and keep stirring. It can come to a soft boil. Add about a cup (or less) of half and half or milk. (I had the cream so I used it, but I often use powdered milk.) Don't let it boil. Add potatoes. I often add some frozen peas or parsley and freshly ground pepper. Keep it over a low heat for a few minutes, stirring often. Stir in parmesan cheese and let it melt. Nice and warm for a January night.