Cream of Potato Soup

Potato, potato, potato.... hmmm... do you know that potato is always on my mind this month of June? This is because Wandering Chopsticks challenge for this month's Weekend Wokking is the ever humble potato.

The United Nations has declared this year, 2008 as the Year of the Potato. I think they want due recognition to this humble crop, which is easy to grow and very nutritious. They want to increase awareness for this crop that may be a good food source for developing nations. Of course, when we say potato, the first thing that comes to mind is starch. Potato is pure carbohydrates and with a high glycemic index at that, which is not good for dieters. However, you have to consider that potatoes have the health benefits of fiber. Therefore, it offers protection against colon cancer, it improves glucose tolerance and increases satiety, and possibly even reduce fat storage - because you will tend to eat less if you include potato in your meal. They also have one-fourth of the calories of bread and, when boiled, have more protein than corn and nearly twice the amount of calcium. They contain vitamin C, iron, potassium and zinc.

Potatoes are very common and quite cheap here in this country. We often use it as an extender. We add it to stews, or add it for stuffing. However, I wanted something different for this event. I want to feature potato as a the main ingredient for a dish. Aside from the Potato Salad that I made, I know some dishes that has potatoes as main ingredients are: mashed potatoes, which are first peeled and boiled and then mashed with milk and butter; French fries (oooh! very unhealthy!) whole Baked Potaotes (smothered with unhealthy sauces!) Hash Browns, grated potaotes then fried again. I wanted something that is healthy and nutritious, something that will make the potato's assets shine out...

I decided to make a humble soup - as humble as this crop. It is easy to cook, it is warm, it is flavorful, it is healthy, it is tummy-filling, perfect for dieters (unfortunately, not on South Beach).

2 T buter
2 heads garlic
1 big onion, chopped
4 pcs (around 400 gms) potatoes, diced
1 C milk
3 C Chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste

submerge peeled potato in water to avoid discoloration

1. Heat butter in medium heat and cook garlic cloves until golden brown.

This is the garlic cooking in butter.

2. Add onions and cook until soft. Add the potatoes without browning them.

It gets very fragrant at this stage. Smells yummy!

3. Add soup stock. Boil and simmer until potatoes are cooked (around 15 minutes).

4. Add milk. I usually add milk last and I do not let it boil to prevent the milk from curdling.

5. Put soup in the blender and pulse until creamy.

6. Season to taste.


You can serve this with sliced French bread topped with fresh chopped tomatoes and basil, which I did. And I already consider this a full meal.

By the way, I just came from a dinner last night, hosted by my German missionary friend (the one who taught me to make Quiche - recipe and story here.) She also served us Potato Soup! She flavored hers with curry and a dash of nutmeg. It was also yummy!


This is my entry to Weekend Wokking, launched by Wandering Chopsticks. This month's hosts are Todd and Diane of White on Rice Couple. Please check out their site in a few days for the round-up! Looking forward to the next ingredient and the next Wokking event!