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Potato Soup with Chives and Soured Cream

Ready in 50 mins

Recipe by Graham 

Potato Soup with Chives and Soured Cream is one of those lovely little potages that work well as a quick winter lunch or (in small quantities) as a starter course if you are entertaining. Full of flavour and very filling, it's easy to make yet delightful and nourishing.

Be sure to use floury potatoes (like Estima, King Edward, Maris Piper, Desiree) if possible. What's the difference between Floury and Waxy Potatoes? Floury potatoes are brighter and more granular in appearance with a drier feel. They're better for dishes where you want fluffy potatoes or for mash. Waxy potatoes (like Charlotte or Maris Peer) are translucent and feel moist and pasty. They are good at staying firm and keeping their shape so they make great salad potatoes.

Preparation Time

10 Minutes

Cooking Time

40 Minutes

Ingredients for Potato Soup with Chives and Soured Cream

If you are not familiar with any ingredients, please check our International Cooking Terms page.

Currently displaying quantities in US Imperial Measurements

To serve 4:

1 oz butter
6 rashers (slices) smoked streaky bacon
1 large onion
1lb 2oz floury potatoes
2 pints chicken stock
  salt and white pepper
1 bay leaf
6 - 8 tablespoons soured cream
4 tablespoons fresh chives - chopped

How to Cook Potato Soup with Chives and Soured Cream

  1. Melt the butter in a large pan and fry the bacon until golden-brown. Remove from the pan and set aside. Peel and chop the onion and add to the pan (in the bacon fat), frying gently until the onion is soft and translucent. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut them into small pieces about 1" (2.5cm) across. Rinse them under cold running water to remove any excess starch.
  2. Pour the stock into the pan with the onions, then add the potatoes, salt and white pepper and the bay leaf. Turn the heat up and bring the stock to a gentle simmer, skimming off any scum that forms on the surface. Add the bacon then turn down the heat and cover the pan with a lid. Simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the potatoes begin to break up.
  3. Remove the bay leaf and bacon and pass the remaining mixture into a clean pan through a vegetable mill using the finest mesh disk. If you don't have a vegetable mill, use a fine sieve (strainer) and push the potatoes through the mesh with a wooden spoon. However, I don't recommend you use a food processor since the resulting soup is too smooth.
  4. Gently reheat the soup and ladle into hot bowls. Serve with a good dose of soured cream and sprinkle with plenty of chopped chives.
GRAHAM'S HOT TIP:
When you take the bacon out of the stock, don't discard it... you can crisp it up for a sandwich later!