French Potato and Onion Soup Recipe

This is the first soup I ever made that didn't come out of a can.  It is based on Julia Child's classic Potato Soup ('Potage Parmentier') from the 'Mastering the Art of French Cooking.' I have rewritten the recipe to be more specific and eliminated her discussion of using a pressure cooker.  This recipe takes about 10 minutes of prep time and about 50 minutes on the stove.  Once the soup is on the stove it needs little attention, which makes it great when having to prepare multiple dishes.

French Potato and Onion Soup

This soup goes great with a fresh baguette and is a good starter before roasts, steak or any meal you would normally serve mashed potatoes as a side. This recipe makes 8 portions of soup.

French Potato and Onion Soup Recipe
In Stock Pot combine:
	1 1/4 Lbs of White Potatoes peeled and diced (About 5 Medium Potatoes)
	1 Lb Sweet or White Onions diced (About 2 Large Onions)
	2 Liters of Water (2000ml)
	1 TBSP Salt
	1 TSP Pepper
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low.  Cook partially covered for 50 minutes until vegetables are tender.
Turn burner down to simmer and blend with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender.
Add to simmering soup prior to serving:
	3 TBSP of Unsalted Butter
	3 TBSP of chopped fresh Italian parsley
Stir in.  Simmer soup until needed.
Soup will last up to 3 days in the fridge.  When reheating consider adding more water to get to desired thinness.  Soup will continue to thicken.

Additions and Substitutions:

• Add 2 cloves of minced garlic to the soup at the beginning to add garlicky taste and some more vitamins.
• Substitute coarse Italian parsley for freshly chopped chive or dill for a different taste.  
• Add home made bacon bits just prior to serving for a naughtier soup.
• Substitute the onions with 1 lb of leeks up to the green tender bits.  Make sure to thoroughly wash leeks to get the sand out.

Ingredients for French Potato and Onion Soup

Step 1: Combining all the Ingredients to Boil

Step 2: Boiling the Soup

French Potato and Onion Soup Ready to be Served

What I have learned in making this soup:

• Using a long potato masher to mash the soup is not that effective per the original recipe and is hard on the hands. The soup is easiest prepared by using a hand blender or blending in batches in a blender.
• If you add bacon to a soup, for texture purposes it is best to make bacon bits up separately and to add them just prior to serving.
• Subtle differences can keep a recipe from becoming boring or tiresome to your family. Switching the fresh herbs used in the soup from parsley to chive or dill can liven the soup up. Similarly, adding two cloves of minced garlic can change the taste.