Potato Soup

Several times when we were young, broke, and expecting company for dinner, I fixed a big pot of this soup.  With homemade bread, or a French baguette or Cuban bread, a big boiled Georgia style sausage and perhaps sliced cheddar cheese, the meal never failed to cause raves and compliments.   Great on a cold and rainy or windy evening, it's fine as a light summer meal too, perhaps with sandwiches or a salad.  It's quick and easy to prepare.

1 medium onion
5 or 6 tbsp. butter  (Note #1)
2 or 3 large potatoes
1 medium carrot
1 tsp. caraway seed  (Note #2)
1 - 2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 C. water
3 1/2 C. milk  (Note #3)
fresh ground black pepper to taste

Melt butter on medium high heat in a heavy pan.  Add onion and caraway seed.  Sauté until soft, but not browned.  Peel and dice potatoes in about 1/2" to 3/4" cubes.  Add to onions, along with caraway seed, salt and water.  Scrub or scrape the carrot; grate or finely shred it (the finer it is grated, the more the soup turns a glorious yellow color).  Add to the potatoes.  Bring to a boil on high heat; cover and turn to medium heat.  Cook until potatoes are very tender.  Check occasionally to be sure it's not sticking.

Add milk and black pepper.  Bring almost to a boil; cover and turn heat low.  Simmer, do NOT boil, for 20 to 30 minutes.   Taste, and correct salt and pepper if needed.

If you like a little more consistency, remove about 1/2 C. cooked potato, mash fine, and stir back into the soup.  Or add a Tbsp. or two of potato flakes, stirring well.

Note #1:  The flavor is best with real butter.  You can use margarine or healthier oil, but don't expect the same taste.

Note #2:  You can substitute fennel seed, dill seed, or chopped or dried dill for the caraway.

Note #3:   I used to use whole milk in this soup;  if you use 1% or skim, the flavor will suffer, but you can improve it by adding a small amount of canned evaporated milk after its finished.