Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup
I was not feeling well a few days before my birthday. Post-tension maybe or because I got so busy with a lot of things. All I wanted was to lay in bed and sleep...and well, read a feel-good book or play some word search.
Feeling sick always brings me back to a time when I was hospitalized when I was about 6 years old. Yep, I can still clearly remember. I was confined in Lungsod ng Kabataan (Philippine Children's Medical Center) and was fed with potato soup. While as a kid, I was already a 'Pro' in digesting bland hospital food - but that potato soup was different! It was hearty, creamy and comforting just as how I want my potato soup to be.
It was the start of my love affair with the potato soup. Funny I even requested my mom to ask for additional ration of that potato soup. I think I got 3 extra portions. The nurses happily obliged as I was not eating well for the past days that time. Oh well, too much for childhood memories. =)
So now, I am always feeling giddy when I think about potato soup. All this time, M thinks my favorite soup is either the mushroom soup or the clam chowder soup (both creamy in texture) but I feel it is really the potato soup. hahaha! I learned a potato soup recipe since I was young and have been cooking it ever since.
I made myself some potato soup as my pick-upper. I got a rush of soothing feeling inside. ^v^
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Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup
Ingredients:
10pcs medium sized potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-2cm cubes
3pcs onions, diced
water for boiling
1 1/2cup chicken stock (or simply 1 1/2cup water, but add 2pcs of chicken bouillion cube)
mint leaves wrapped in a gauze and tied
salt and pepper to taste
2T butter
1cup diced ham (I used the sweet ham squares)
2cups milk (sometimes, I use Cowhead, other times I use the canned evaporated milk), add more if you want
2cups grated cheddar cheese
vegetables like: diced carrots, green peas, celery ***optional
mint or parsley leaf as garnish ***optional
How I did It:
I combined the potatoes and onions in a stockpot and added water just enough to cover the potatoes and boiled it until the potatoes are tender. I add water so it won't dry up too much during the boiling process. I then added the chicken stock (or just the bouillion cubes), salt, pepper and vegetables. I then let the tied gauze with the mint leaves inside hang in my pot just like when we steep our tea. I do that for about 3-5minutes until the minty flavor is incorporated, then I take it out.
On a separate pan, I melted the butter then sauteed the diced ham. I slowly added the milk, stirring while I do. I added the cheese next then slowly bring it to a simmer.
I then poured the milk mixture over the pot of potatoes and mixed until well incorporated.
I topped it with parsley leaves for aesthetics. =)
:: :: ::
Notes:
*There is a tendency that some potatoes at the bottom of the pot to burn so make sure you stir it as often as you could.
*I don't want a flour-y taste in my soup so I refrained from using flour in this recipe, the potatoes are aplenty enough to make the soup thick.
*Sometimes, I don't cut the potatoes in cubes anymore. I just use an immersion blender (a.k.a. stick blender) and mix everything in the pot once the vegetables are tender. Quickie and easy.
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Xoxo,
1 1/2cup chicken stock (or simply 1 1/2cup water, but add 2pcs of chicken bouillion cube)
mint leaves wrapped in a gauze and tied
salt and pepper to taste
2T butter
1cup diced ham (I used the sweet ham squares)
2cups milk (sometimes, I use Cowhead, other times I use the canned evaporated milk), add more if you want
2cups grated cheddar cheese
vegetables like: diced carrots, green peas, celery ***optional
mint or parsley leaf as garnish ***optional
How I did It:
I combined the potatoes and onions in a stockpot and added water just enough to cover the potatoes and boiled it until the potatoes are tender. I add water so it won't dry up too much during the boiling process. I then added the chicken stock (or just the bouillion cubes), salt, pepper and vegetables. I then let the tied gauze with the mint leaves inside hang in my pot just like when we steep our tea. I do that for about 3-5minutes until the minty flavor is incorporated, then I take it out.
On a separate pan, I melted the butter then sauteed the diced ham. I slowly added the milk, stirring while I do. I added the cheese next then slowly bring it to a simmer.
I then poured the milk mixture over the pot of potatoes and mixed until well incorporated.
I topped it with parsley leaves for aesthetics. =)
:: :: ::
Notes:
*There is a tendency that some potatoes at the bottom of the pot to burn so make sure you stir it as often as you could.
*I don't want a flour-y taste in my soup so I refrained from using flour in this recipe, the potatoes are aplenty enough to make the soup thick.
*Sometimes, I don't cut the potatoes in cubes anymore. I just use an immersion blender (a.k.a. stick blender) and mix everything in the pot once the vegetables are tender. Quickie and easy.
Like this post? Click to Subscribe to The (Mis)Adventures of Superboink by Email
Xoxo,
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