Classic Potato Soup

When I want to find the OG (original gangster, if you will) of a common dish I always go straight to the OG cookbook, Joy of Cooking. So although I posted a potato-leek soup recipe from The Art of Simple Food last winter, I'm posting another one. I love soup so there's no telling how many more potato soup recipes I'll post. I like to have several good variations of a recipe because then if I'm missing a few ingredients for one, I can probably use another.

Anyways, this recipe is super simple (I made biscuits to go with it) and it was so nice to make hours before. By the time dinner came, I felt like someone else had made it for me. That's a good feeling.

Potato Soup

Makes about 5 cups

Pare and slice:

2 medium-sized potatoes (I use red potatoes)

Chop:

2 medium-sized onions

4 ribs celery

Saute these ingredients in:

1-1/2 tablespoons butter

Add:

Boiling water to cover

1/2 teaspoon salt

(1/2 bay leaf)

Boil the vegetables until the potatoes are tender, or pressure-cook them 3 minutes at 15 pounds pressure. Put them through a ricer or blender. Beat into them:

2 tablespoons butter

Thin the soup to the desired consistency with:

Light cream

Add if required:

Salt and paprika

A dash Worcestershire sauce

Serve with :

Chopped parsley, chives or watercress

1 cup sliced frankfurters or chopped cooked shrimp or diced ham