50g (2oz/1/2 stick)butter

550g (20oz/4cups) peeled diced potatoes, one-third inch dice

110g (4oz/1 cup) diced onions, one-third inch dice

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 litre (2 pints/5 cups)homemade chicken stock or vegetable stock

100ml (4fl oz/1/2 cup)creamy milk

Freshly chopped herbs and herb flowers, optional

Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. When it foams, add the potatoes and onions and toss them in the butter until well coated. Sprinkle with salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cover with a butter wrapper or paper lid and thelid of the saucepan. Sweat on a gentle heat for 10 minutes approx.Meanwhile bring the stock to the boil, when the vegetables are soft but not coloured add stock and continue to cook until the vegetables are soft. Puree the soup in a blender or food processor. Taste and adjust seasoning. Thin with creamy milk to the required consistency.

Serve sprinkled with afew freshly-chopped herbs and herb flowers if available.

Potato and Fresh Herb soup

Add 1-2 tablespoons (1-2 American tablespoons + 1-2 teaspoons) freshly chopped herbs eg.parsley, thyme, lemon balm and chives to the sweated vegetables with the stock, continue as above and serve sprinkled with fresh herbs and flowers.

Potato and Roast Red Pepper Soup

Serves 6

Basic recipe as above,omit the herbs.
4 red peppers
balsamic vinegar
sprigs of flat parsley
extra virgin olive oil
salt, freshly ground pepper

Roast or chargrill the pepper, peel and deseed, save the sweet juices carefully puree the flesh with the juices.  Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Add a dash of Balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil if necessary. Taste, adjust seasoning if necessary. Make the soup as inthe original recipe

Just before serving swirl the red pepper puree through the soup or simply drizzle on top of each bowl. Top with some snipped flat parsley you might try addingone or two roast chilli to the pepper for a little extra buzz -Serrano or Jalapeno are good.

Potato and Parsley Soup

Omit herbs in the soup.

Add 2-3 tablespoons (2-3 American tablespoons + 2-3 teaspoons) of freshly chopped parsley to the soup before you puree it.

Potato and Mint Soup

Omit herbs in the soup.

Add 2-3 tablespoons (2-3 American tablespoons + 2-3 teaspoons) of spearmint or bowls of mintto the soup just before blending.

Potato and Tarragon Soup

Add 1 1/2 tablespoons (11/2 American tablespoons + 1 1/2 teaspoons) of tarragon to the soupwith the stock. Purée and finish as in the master recipe. Sprinkle alittle mint over the soup before serving.

Potato Soup with Harissa Oil

Drizzle a little harissa oil over the potato soup just before serving.

Potato, Chorizo and Parsley Soup

We love Fingal Ferguson's Gubeen chorizo, so much that we dream up all sorts of ways of using it. The strong hot spicy taste add lots of umph to the silky potatosoup.
12- 18 slices of chorizo(use less if chorizo is large size)
flat parsley sprigs

Omit the herbs in the original recipe. Just before serving cook the slices of chorizo for a minute or two on each side on a non-stick pan, oil will render out of the chorizo.
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Serve three slices of chorizo on top of each bowl, sprinkle a few flat parsley sprigs on top, drizzle a little chorizo oil haphazardly over the soup and serve immediately.

Potato and Melted Leek Soup

Serve a spoonful of melted leeks on top of each helping of soup. Scatted with snipped chives and chive flowers in season.

Potato Soup with Parsley Pesto or Basil Pesto or Rocket Pesto or Wild Garlic Pesto

One of Rory O'Connell's way to embellish potato soup. Drizzle a little parsley, basil rocket or wild garlic pesto over the top of each bowl just as it goes to the table.

Potato Soup with Potato Crisps and Garlic Butter

Pile some homemade potato crisps onto each helping of soup. Drizzle with sizzling garlic butter and serve.

Spiced Potato Soup

Add 1 teaspoon freshly ground cumin, 1 teaspoon of freshly ground coriander and 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper to the onion and continue as above.

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