Grandma's Cream of Potato Soup or Broccoli Soup

Jim Tasker's Note:

This recipe has a slight smoky flavor due to the deli bacon. Broccoli can be substituted for potatoes for Cream of Broccoli Soup. **This recipe can also be used for Clam Chowder. Eliminate the broccoli and use Chopped Clams.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 35 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs 15 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 2 (31 ounce) cans college inn chicken broth
• 6 medium potatoes (cubed)
• 4 stalks celery (diced)
• 4 medium carrots (diced)
• 1/2 cup cubed ham (optional)
• 1/4 lb of deli bacon (smoked)
• 1 medium Spanish onion (diced)
• 1 quart heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/4-1/2 cup cornstarch
• 12 ounces cheddar cheese (optional)

If making Cream of Broccoli Soup

• 2 heads broccoli, chopped, peel stems of skins and slice (skins are tough and bitter)

Directions:

1. Empty cans of chicken broth in pot.
2. Add cubed potatoes and bring to a boil.
3. While potatoes are starting to cook pan fry bacon until crisp and add bacon grease to chicken and potato broth.
4. Crumble bacon and add to broth.
5. Add diced ham to broth (optional).
6. In a sauce pan melt butter and add diced onion, celery and carrots.
7. Pan fry until soft.
8. When potatoes are done add the celery, carrot and onion mixture with butter to broth.
9. Reduce heat to medium and add about 1/4 to 1/2 of the quart of heavy cream.
10. Be careful not to have soup at a heavy boil or cream will curdle.
11. Add enough cream to make soup look creamy throughout.
12. Add cheese (optional).
13. Mix corn starch with very cold water and add to soup.
14. Continue medium boil until soup thickens.
15. If it isn't thick enough repeat corn starch and add slowly.
16. Remove from heat and enjoy.
17. Soup will thicken when it gets cold.
18. Can add milk or water to thin out.

Reviews

[Cookgirl]

This was very good and easy to make. I switched things around a little and replaced broccoli with orange colored 'cheddar cheese' cauliflower. Used whole milk, little bit of half and half and some buttermilk. Omitted the ham and cornstarch. The vegetables were sauteed on the stove top then transferred to a crock pot along with the broth and cooked on HIGH for 3 hours then LOW for another 4-5 hours. I did not add the dairy until the last 10 minutes of cooking to avoid curdling. Pureed the soup and it was thick enough that I decided not to use the cornstarch. The soup leftovers will thicken up by today. Topped with green onions, fresh parsley, freshly cracked black pepper. In the fall, I plan to try this soup recipe again using canned clams. Thank you!

[emcquaid]

This is my new favorite recipe! I LOVE this soup! I think next time I'll use less cream (what are you supposed to do with the other half a quart of cream by the way??) and sub milk instead. But this was YUMM!!!

[Gwenillian]

Tried this soup as both cream of potato and cream of broccoli - it was a hit both times. My grandmother (who is very particular about her cream of potato soup) couldn't stop raving about it! We will be making this a lot in the future. Thanks for sharing!