The calendar says "spring," but we know Grant County, Oregon – the chill could hang on for who knows how long. Here's a lovely Ham and Potato Soup from the kitchen of Rachel Carpenter of John Day. The recipe is so simple that you may have everything on hand for this. Just about the only ingredient I didn't have in the kitchen was dill – I must have run out after making potato salad a few months ago – but never fear, the local health food store had some at a very reasonable price!
Dill adds a nice surprise to this recipe, so if you can, give it a try!
If you love onions, by all means, add more. A diced yellow onion can be used if you prefer. Rachel uses dehydrated onions to "hide" them from her children who otherwise may not eat the soup. It's same with the finely chopped celery – if you have no picky children at home, then regular slices are just great!
Ingredients:
2 1/2 quarts water
4 C. diced potatoes (Yukon Gold)
3 sliced green onion, or a handful of dehydrated onion
2/3 C. celery, chopped fine
Combine in a big pot and simmer for 20 minutes.
Soup base (rue) ingredients:
6 Tbsp. butter
6 Tbsp. flour
2 1/2 C. milk
In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk. I like to add about a cup of the milk and continue to whisk out the lumps and then add the remaining milk and whisk some more. Simmer until thickened slightly and smooth.
Add in:
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 tsp. dill
Remove from heat and add:
1-2 C. cheddar cheese, grated
16 oz. canned corn (or prepared frozen or fresh)
2 C. ham, diced
Stir to combine, then add the rue mixture to the pot of potatoes.
Good idea: If you use yellow onion for this soup or other recipes, my co-worker Kim Kell suggests storing diced onions in the freezer in a Zip-Loc bag for convenience.