Potato Soup

 Really quick--I improvised a potato soup the other day that I was pleased with. I have long been chasing the skillset of an outstanding home cook that measures by eyeball and conjures recipes from the heart and imagination. After many years of practice, I can do this, and you can too!

I encourage you to try this at home with minimal shopping. If you can, use what you have on hand. Throwing a little something together with whatever is sitting in your refrigerator is a special power you can also acquire. Use substitutions, if necessary. Here's what you do:

• Get a few Yukon Gold potatoes and cut them in half lengthwise, then slice into bite-able pieces. You needn't peel
• Go ahead and completely dice one of the Yukon Golds. This is my special trick!
• Peel some russet potatoes and cut them consistent with the YGs. Blending two types of potatoes is another cool trick, but not mandatory
• Boil all potatoes

At this point, you could just stop and make mashed potatoes, if you like. Just sayin'. That calls for butter, milk and S&P.

• Heat a soupçon (French for a "lil' bit") of olive oil 
• Add finely chopped onion. I would have preferred green, but had yellow. Use a couple of tbsp-ish
• Remember garlic exists and add some cloves, finely chopped
• Sweat 'em
• Add your own personal blend of black pepper, cayenne and/or Tony Chachere's.
• Add butter. Enough to butter a tortilla, at least. Don't burn it
• Add that little bit of unused heavy whipping cream you have, and some milk--less than you think
• Simmer

While all this was going on, I cooked up some Italian pork sausage that my wife pulled out of the freezer two days prior, but did nothing with. It would not have been my first choice, because it can be overpowering, but surprisingly it balanced pretty well; the more gentle flavors of the milk, butter, and potato stood up to the sausage, which added a nice smokiness. Ground hamburger, or lamb would also be nice.

• When the thickest piece of potato can be broken up gently with a spoon, it's done. Strain out all but a little bit of the starchy water
• Take your potato masher and smash about 20% of the potatoes into smithereens!
• Combine potatoes and sauce
• Put a non-zero amount of dill and whatever Italian herbs. Don't overpower your soup, though
• Add precooked meat of choice
• simmer on low heat until you get the desired consistency. Mine was almost like custard
• Carefully adjust salt and spice levels

That's it. Unless you're extremely negligent, this should turn out. If it gets too thick, just stir in some water, or chicken broth. It's not against the law to add cheese to this, at some point. I'm not a cop, or your mother. I might've added mushrooms, if I had any; in that case, throw in with the aromatics. Simple. You can just do stuff.

I worked harder on this blogpost than the actual dish, so just think about that!