Black Pepper Potato Soup with Prosciutto + Gruyere
Happy one week and two days until Thanksgiving!!
I'm getting ready for my birthday celebrations next Wednesday (with a HUGE Lebanese feast with all of my family members coming in town) and of course for Turkey day on Thursday. Things are getting crazy around here (we are very extra when it comes to Thanksgiving in my household) so I thought I'd just post a recipe from a few weeks back that was just too good not to share! Like I've said many times before, soup is one of my least favorite things to cook. And it also used to be one of my least favorite things to eat. However, after being sick for a few days a while back, things started to change. I bought a few of Annie's brand canned soups and after doctoring them up a little, I was in love.
Then I went to Italy and had the most amazing bread soup ever that I would honestly eat every night for the rest of my life if I could.
So, turns out I'm a big soup gal.
I still don't like to make soup, but knowing that I know will enjoy the final product makes it a whole lot more tolerable.
It's kind of like how I feel about baking. I do it because I love sweets and coming up with fun dessert recipes, but there is nothing I hate more than taking the time to level out and sift cups of flour when I'm in my cooking mode.
I'm definitely more of a broth-y soup type of person, but I won't turn down chowder, or in this case, potato soup. Especially if it's loaded with all of the goods (aka prosciutto, sour cream, green onion/chives, lots of cheese, and a ton of black pepper).
One part of my taste buds that I will thank my dad for is definitely my tolerance for spicy foods and love for black pepper. That man uses black pepper and crushed red pepper like nobody else.
And black pepper is actually the perfect component for this soup. I didn't want to add too much heat; I think comfort food like this instead needs some warmth and spice without the burn.
Okay, I admit I did sneak a little pinch of crushed red pepper in there just for taste purposes. I can't help myself. The stuff runs in my blood.
Well, I'm going to keep this one short and let all of you get to your holiday season to-dos. But if you have the time (as in you should definitely make the time), try out this potato soup! It's a hearty and quick dinner for the colder weather nights nearing.
Cheesy Peppered Potato Soup + Prosciutto
makes a big pot
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup half & half
1/2 cup (8 tbs., 1 stick) butter
1 1/2 tbs. black pepper
1 tbs. mustard powder
2 tsp. each dried oregano, dried basil, and salt
3 lbs. Yukon gold or white potatoes- washed & cubed (slightly larger than bite-sized)- leave skins on
1 additional large Yukon gold or white potato- washed and peeled; halved
1 white onion- diced
3 garlic cloves- minced
2 tbs. dijon
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup grated gruyere cheese
2 bay leaves
crushed red pepper flakes to taste
Toppings: freshly grated black pepper, chopped green onion or chives, extra grated gruyere cheese, crispy prosciutto, sour cream
Bring salt water 2/3 the way full in a large pot to a boil. Add in the potatoes and cook until a fork can push all the way through them.
Reserve 1/2 cup of the water from the potatoes and set the potatoes aside.
In the same or another large pot, melt the butter and add in the onions and garlic. Cook over medium heat until softened. Gently stir in the potato cubes, oregano, basil, bay leaves, salt, and a pinch of black pepper.
In a food processor, blend the peeled boiled potato, sour cream, dijon, and reserved potato water together until smooth. Add back into the pot along with the chicken stock and mustard powder.
Once mixed together, let cook down until thickened (about 15 minutes). Add in the cream, black pepper, gruyere, and crushed red pepper flakes to taste (I recommend 2 teaspoons).
Take out the bay leaves before eating!
Top with desired toppings! (For the prosciutto, just crisp up in a skillet until curled and a deep red color; set on a paper towel to drain- I like to add some pieces into the actual soup, too!)
