Papa’s Potato Soup with Hunny Butter Rolls

One of the  most gratifying feelings I’ve had in life  is when my kids ask me to make one of my favorite foods.

When it gets cold, and the steam starts to bellow up from the rooftops, and you have to barrel yourselves through the winter wind- THAT IS THE IDEAL TIME for Papa’s Potato Soup. However, it RARELY gets very cold in New Orleans! So, even the slightest temperature drop welcomes this yumminess.

My love of potato soup goes back to my school age years. My best friends and I would go to this chain restaurant, and I would DEVOUR their potato soup with honey butter rolls. Like- it was a problem.

That is, until my senior year in high school, when everyone started going their separate ways. One last time, we gathered at our beloved spot to grab the usual.

On my spoon lay an uncooked, mass-produced french fry in a nasty, cheese sauce concoction. This was not homemade. 

 

I felt robbed!

I vowed during my last visit to that restaurant, sitting in the booth,  I would make a better recipe MYSELF. One which was 100 percent homemade, that I craved just as much as those terrible restaurant meals.

And, I did. For many, many years, I created a recipe that put O’Charley’s to shame. Oops, I said it! Let’s get started!

Papa’s Potato Soup

Ingredients:

8 big russet potatoes 

1 large & pretty yellow onion

8-10 cups of whole milk

2 cups of shredded sharp cheddar 

1/2 cup of feta cheese

*Salt to taste

10 turns of fresh cracked pepper

1 stick of salted butter

 

Topping:

Crispy bacon 

Feta crumbles

1 spoonful of sharp cheddar

Papa’s Hunny Butter Rolls
Ingredients:
1/2 stick salted butter
1 tablespoon local or Acadian Honey
Sprinkle of salt 

Tools:

Wooden spoon

Emulsion blender 

Ninja food processor 

Large stock pot

Cast iron skillet

 

Potato Soup Prep:

•Peel, dice and boil potatoes until soft, immediately draining and cooling- so they do not lose their integrity.

 

•Set aside 3 cups of the boiled potatoes. 

 

•In a cast iron skillet, sauté diced yellow onion until medium/dark brown, cooking slowly on medium heat.

 

•Once onions caramelize, take off heat and purée using a food  processor – preferably the small Ninja appliance. 

 

•In same stock pot,add remaining potatoes while still keeping the 3 cups of potatoes on the side for later.

 

•Add 6 cups of milk and blend with an emulsion mixer.  

 

•Add onion purée.

 

•Continue to blend while adding salt until flavored to your liking. Each palate enjoys salt differently. I personally LOVE salt. 

I would add at least 3teaspoons myself, and continue with a shaker until it sings. When it is right, you will hear it sing! 

 

•On medium, re-heat potato mixture.

 

•Once heated, add cheddar and feta cheeses,and stir with wooden spoon. 

 

•Pour remaining 3 cups of boiled potatoes back into pot,and incorporate with wooden spoon while adding a touch more salt to taste. 

Roll Prep:

 

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

 

• Melt butter 

 

• Add honey and salt 

 

• Use your 12 pack of Rouses Markets 

YEAST ROLLS

 

• Paint onto each roll generously,and bake until golden.

 

• Reapply remaining butter.

 

• Top with Crispy bacon, Feta crumbles, 1 spoonful of sharp cheddar, and maybe one turn from your pepper grinder. This will make you come back for more, n’ more, n’ more….

 

The most rewarding feeling in the world is have someone ask you to make this. Try it out and see for yourself.