Soup it up

Hellooooo, Our Shiputzim fans!

Back in our pre-aliyah period, we would make rich and hearty dishes for those cold evening meals when we would sit huddled and shivering in the succah.

Here in Israel, however, cold weather is usually not a concern on Succot. Quite the opposite, in fact. (Although since Succot is so late this year, the weather has been much cooler than usual. When YZG – aka “Mr. S.” – and I went for a walk last night, I regretted that I hadn’t taken a sweater. And now, they’re predicting rain for the first few days of the chag…)

In any event, for those of you in colder climes, this potato soup – which is a staple of our post-fast meals - might be just the thing for your Succot menus.

Lately, I’ve been making a double recipe. For instance, for the post Yom Kippur meal, not only was the entire Shiputzim family home B”H (although ASG – aka the “Chief of Photography” – broke his fast in yeshiva and only then came home for the rest of the meal), but we also hosted five extra yeshiva guys (all of whom are honorary members of the Shiputzim family).

And so, without further ado, here’s my potato soup recipe:

Ingredients:

• 3-4 large carrots
• 3-4 medium potatoes
• 4-5 medium onions
• Olive or canola oil
• 2 heaping TBSP flour
• Water
• Thyme (two or three dashes)
• Dried dill (a teaspoon or two)
• Dried parsley (a fair amount)
• Garlic powder (a good deal)
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions:

Peel carrots and dice (or slice thin in food processor*). Set aside. Peel potatoes and dice. Cover potatoes with water and set aside. Chop onions and place in heavy pot. Sauté in a bit of oil until golden brown. Add carrots and continue to sauté for an additional 10-15 minutes. Drain potatoes and add to pot. Heat through for 1 minute. Add flour and mix through. Immediately, fill pot with water, and then add the remaining ingredients.

Bring to a boil, while stirring occasionally. Then let simmer, partially uncovered, for about 45-60 minutes. Finally, cover the pot and keep simmering for another hour or so. Add more salt and pepper as needed, and stir every so often.

Suggestion: Add milk before serving.

Enjoy and בתאבון.

* Hat tip to our Rosh Hashanah hosts, who prepared the carrots for their vegetable soup this way.

חג שמח