The great Irish potato famine that began in 1845 wiped out a fifth of the small country's population -- but it couldn't displace the potato, long since recovered, as a mainstay of the Irish diet.
An Irish Potato Soup is an easy dish to celebrate St. Patrick's Day next week. Fred Parmenter, a chef instructor at Baltimore International College, updates the traditional blend of potatoes and vegetables by frying leeks and roasting fingerling potatoes to top the soup. You can prepare both garnishes while your soup simmers, so this rich treat, thickened with cream, can be ready to serve in less than an hour.
kate.shatzkin@baltsun.com
IRISH POTATO SOUP / / SERVES 4
4 pounds fingerling potatoes plus 4 fingerling potatoes for garnish (divided use)
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion
1 head celery
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided use)
1 / 2 quart chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 / 2 cup heavy cream
1 leek
chopped parsley for garnish
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Season 4 fingerling potatoes with salt and pepper and rub with olive oil. Roast until tender, about 20 minutes. Cut each potato into slices on the bias and set aside for garnish.
Prepare and finely chop onion, celery and the rest of the potatoes. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to a saucepan and sweat onions and celery for about 5 minutes. Add potatoes, chicken stock and bay leaf and simmer 20 minutes. Add cream and simmer another 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, split the leek and wash all dirt out of its layers. Julienne. Start to cook leeks in 1 cup cold vegetable oil, then bring oil up to frying temperature. Remove leeks from the oil when they are crispy but still green. Set aside on paper towels.
When soup has finished simmering, discard bay leaf. Put soup in mixer or blender, or use an immersion blender, and puree until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper; garnish with slices of roasted potato and fried leeks. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.
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Courtesy of Baltimore International College chef instructor Fred Parmenter
Per serving (not including garnish): 624 calories, 12 grams protein, 20 grams fat, 8 grams saturated fat, 104 grams carbohydrate, 12 grams fiber, 44 milligrams cholesterol, 418 milligrams sodium
ONLINE Watch Baltimore International College chef instructor Fred Parmenter demonstrate how to make Irish Potato Soup at baltimoresun.com / cooking101