Dillard's Garden Room Dutch Potato Soup(Copycat)

The Dillard House is a popular family restaurant in northern Georgia. I used to live near there. Here is a recipe for their potato soup, which I have changed only using vegetaable stock for the original beef stock. Feel free to use the beef stock if you prefer.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Yields: 14 cups

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons  vegetable oil (I use olive oil)
• 2  cups  chopped onions
• 1  cup  diced celery
• 1  cup  quartered and sliced carrot
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  minced garlic
• 1⁄4 teaspoon white pepper (or black pepper)
• 1  bay leaf
• 12  cups  hot rich  vegetable stock, divided (original recipe called for beef stock)
• 5  tablespoons margarine
• 2⁄3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3  large potatoes, peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced thin (I like to dice them)

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large stockpot; add onion, celery, carrots and garlic. Cook over medium heat about 15 minutes, stirring often. Add pepper, bay leaf, and 8 cups of the stock.
2. In a separate pan, melt margarine over medium heat. Whisk in flour; cook 10 minutes, whisking occasionally. Add remaining 4 cups stock, whisking to remove any lumps.
3. Add thickened stock to vegetable mixture, increase heat to high and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce to a simmer and cook until vegetables are soft, about 45 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in potatoes. Stir well; cover and let stand for 30 minutes.
5. Salt and pepper to taste.