CHEF JEFF — ONE BYTE AT A TIME: Potato Soup with Caramelized Onions

• chef jeff

chef jeff

Talk about it

This recipe, with its chopping and dicing, is bound to relieve a little stress.

Potato Soup with Caramelized Onions

2 yellow onions

2 leeks, white part only

4 cups potatoes, peeled, cut in 1-inch pieces

4 cups water or broth

½ to 1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ cup milk, cream (optional)

Fresh chopped herbs, such as parsley, chervil, thyme, basil

Freshly ground pepper

½ cup small croutons, fried in butter

Slice 1 of onions and 2 leeks; place in pot with potatoes, water and salt. Heat to boil. Simmer uncovered until vegetables are soft. Dice remaining onion. Heat butter and oil in heavy skillet; add diced onion. Cook over low to medium-low heat, stirring to prevent burning, until onion is soft and caramelized. Press onions and leeks through a sieve or ricer; return to soup pot. (Do not use blender.) Add caramelized onions, milk and cream. Taste for salt. Thin with more milk, if needed. Serve with fresh herbs, pepper and croutons.

Yield: Serves 6.

Grab more food tidbits at the Chef Jeff blog at GrandForksHerald.com.