Garlic Potato Soup

 A few weeks ago, I made the eight-hour trek to my Alma Mater to spend a weekend with my college roommate, Amber. It's a weird thing, you know, stepping back in time. You think it's all going to be like it was before. Memories flood your mind as you walk the sidewalks that you walked thousands of times before, in another life. You see people and hear laughter that isn't there anymore. You attend a lecture, or see a professor and turn to the person next to you with an inside joke, but that person isn't there. You have this vague sense of being so familiar with a place, and yet no longer belonging. Attending a concert, walking through your department's building or making disparaging comments about the cafeteria are lonely affairs when the people that you shared those experiences with are no longer there.

And then you get to spend time with one of those people who made the experience so memorable, and you realize that it was the people who made the place. There is nothing magical about the place itself. But the multitude of laughter, memories and tears shared with another person, the friendship that lasts even over time and distance --- Ah, that is truly something special.

Amber and I roomed together for three years and have now known each other for almost seven. Amber is fun, slightly mischievous and her nose crinkles when she laughs. She loves color, beige is boring, and she must have chocolate or die. She takes life as it comes and doesn't stress about the little things. She is loyal to her friends, always ready with a cheerful word if needed and a hug. Amber has had some hard things thrown at her, yet she doesn't complain. A deep, abiding trust in her Father's care for her anchors her soul when life is difficult.

And, she loves cooking as much as I do! Cooking with Amber is like cooking with my mom or sister. You don't have to worry about offending her with your cooking preferences or be afraid that she will make you try some weird, crazy concoction. We have the same likes and dislikes (except for bananas!) and we both enjoy going that extra mile to make something amazing.

So, of course, we spent quite a bit of time in the kitchen! One of the things we tried was Garlic Potato Soup. A shocking two heads of garlic was gently simmered in the bubbling broth, until the cloves melted into the creamy, sweetened flavor of roasted garlic. There is nothing brash, or bitter about this soup. The bite of fresh garlic is mellowed by time spent in the percolating liquid until the flavor is deep, complex and developed. The russet potatoes add body while the red potatoes add texture. A crunch  of salty bacon and a sprinkle of thyme garnishes this bowl of rich comfort.

  Garlic Potato Soup

Serves 6

3 T. butter

1 yellow onion, minced fine

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 heads of garlic

6 cups chicken broth (add a little more if you like your soup thinner)

2 bay leaves

1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/2 inch cubes

1 pound Red Bliss potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 tsp. minced, fresh thyme, or a pinch of dried

2 strips of bacon, cooked and minced

Saute onion in butter until softened.

Add minced garlic and salute for another 30 seconds.

While onion is sautéing, remove as much papery skin from the heads of garlic as you can, cut off any stray roots on the bottom, and cut off the top third of the cloves. 

Add broth, bay leaves, the heads of garlic and 3/4 tsp. salt to the pot. 

Cover partially, leaving the lid slightly cocked and simmer for 30 - 40 minutes, until heads of garlic and very tender when poked with a fork or paring knife. 

While broth is simmering, peel the russet potatoes, but not the red potatoes.

Cut both kinds of potatoes into 1/2 inch pieces. 

(If you cut your potatoes way ahead of time, 

make sure to submerge your cut potatoes in water or they will oxidize and turn brown.)

Add potatoes to the pot and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes, until potatoes are just tender.

Discard bay leaves, add minced thyme and cream to the pot. 

Remove garlic heads and squeeze with tongs near the root so that they cloves pop out of their skins. Make sure to discard any skins that come off. You don't want skins in your soup!

Mash garlic cloves into a paste. Add half of it back to your soup. Add more paste to taste.

Using an immersion blender, blend about a third of the soup. You want a rather thick consistency, but not so much that your potatoes are completely emulsified

Season with salt and pepper and garnish with bacon. 

(I serve the bacon on the side as it will lost crispness as it absorbs moisture from the soup.) 

Recipe from CooksIllustrated.com.