5-o'clock Panic Potato Soup

(See previous post on comments on the development of this recipe.)

This recipe is intended for a pressure cooker. If you do not have one, you will need to make this "4-o'clock Panic Potato Soup" and allow at least an extra 30 to 40 minutes to make the pureed portion of the soup.

2 tablespoons butter
1/2 yellow or white onion, coarsely chopped
4 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
2-3 carrots, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 russet potatoes peeled and sliced
5 russet potatoes peeled and cubed in 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes
3 cups chicken broth, divided
3 cups whole milk
1 cup low-fat sour cream or whole-milk yogurt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
Kosher salt to taste
Shredded sharp cheese of your choice for serving
crusty bread

You will need 2 pots (ideally 1 should be a pressure cooker)as you will boil the potato cubes separately in salted water. Start with water in a large pot and throw in a few large pinches of Kosher salt and bring to a boil. Add potato cubes and boil until just tender but not falling apart. Drain and set aside.

While the water is boiling for the potatoes, in your pressure cooker (or other pot), melt butter and add thyme. When sizzling and fragrant, add onion, celery, carrot, and sliced potatoes. Saute for 3 or 4 minutes to flavor the fat, making sure not to burn the onions. Add 1-1/2 cups of broth and pressure cook on high pressure for 3 or 4 minutes to make sure it is well softened. If not using a pressure cooker, cook covered until all vegetables are very soft. Puree this mixture with a stick blender, in a regular blender, or in a food processor and return to pot.

Add garlic powder and ground mustard to puree and stir well. Whisk in milk and add potatoes. If you like thick soup, add only a little chicken broth. If you like it thinner, add all the remaining (1-1/2 cups or more)chicken broth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Allow soup to simmer for at least 15 minutes and as long as an hour (cover if holding more than 15 minutes).

To serve, I ladle the bowl half full, add shredded cheddar cheese, and then cover and add some more cheese on top. I do not add cheese to the pot, as it tends to get grainy with reheating (plus, the child who will eat this soup does not like cheese).

Recipe To-Do List for the next time:
___Replace the 2nd half of broth with dark beer.
___Try grating good cheddar instead of bland pre-shredded cojack cheese.
___Try yukon gold potatoes to see if they are less textured than russet.

Enjoy!!

White Chili with Chicken

This recipe is adapted from one in the Jan/Feb issue of Cooks Illustrated. (I hear the 5th grade parents liked it at the parents' party!)



3 # bone-in chicken breasts
salt & pepper
1 T vegetable oil
3 medium jalapeno chiles
3 medium poblano chiles
3 medium Anaheim chiles
2 medium onions
6 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 - 4 oz cans diced green chiles
3 cans cannellini beans (white kidney beans), drained and rinsed
4 cups chicken broth
3 Tbsp lime juice
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
4 green onions sliced thin (optional, for serving)


Preheat oven to 400. Stem, seed and core all peppers and cut into 3 or 4 pieces each (5 or 6 if very large). Cut onions into large chunks. Place half of the peppers, minced garlic and onions in a food processor and pulse to fairly fine bits, not pureeing, but no remaining large chunks. Remove to a large pot with the oil and begin sauteeing. Pulse the remaining peppers, onions and garlic. Place half of that batch into the pot and reserve the other half. Reserve the food processor bowl as is. Saute pepper mixture until quite soft. Remove from heat and set aside.


Bake chicken breasts on a rimmed baking sheet until tender, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to a temperature that you can comfortably handle. Shred meat and pour any juices from the pan into the pot.


Place 1 can of beans in the food processor bowl and add 2 cups of sauteed pepper mixture and 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Puree until smooth. Pour into pot. Add remaining beans, chicken broth, cumin, coriander and canned green chiles. Stir all and simmer for about 45 minutes. Add chicken, remaining chopped fresh chile mixture and simmer another 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice and chopped fresh cilantro. Garnish with green onions if desired.