Potato Dill Soup

October days are either stunningly orange with sunlight filtered through turning leaves, or it’s grey, rainy and chilled giving us a hint of the November to come.  This potato soup with a tang of buttermilk, yogurt and dill seed will not let you down during this season.  There is something about being cozy and eating hot soup while watching the squall outside that increases our appreciation for the warmth.

I’ve been buying up my winter supply of root veggies and squash from the Farmer’s Market, squirreling away the harvest (it’s still harvest even if I didn’t grow them!) for the long months of of the fresh-void.  I’ll miss the daily cilantro and kale from the garden, but the chill in the air also awakens the excitement as we lean closer into the days when we can latch into our slippery skinny skis and once again fly unencumbered through the woods.   With no mosquitoes.

Dill Seed

Its pungent flavor (hints of caraway, celery and anise) with antibacterial and anti-nausea qualities made dill a popular herb in Europe and Asia, especially in preserving foods.  Unlike dill weed, dill seed holds up well and even improves with heat and cooking. We think of it in pickles and borscht, but dill seed could be a surprise addition to many dishes:

• Almost anything with potatoes
• Casseroles
• Roasted root vegetables
• Soups
• Vinaigrettes
• Rice
• Steamed greens
• Breads and biscuits
• Cheese spreads
• Dals

Use a potato masher for the rustic texture.  I mashed this before adding the dairy liquids but I don’t think it matters if it’s before or after.

Soup!

Here’s another digression from Door County…this is a boat being built in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin and when finished it will be sent across the planet to its new home with a Russian oligarch.  Or maybe it will show up in a 007 movie.

Under construction.

Potato Dill Soup

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Combine in as soup pot:

2 cups Water

1 1/2 pounds Potatoes, quartered

2-3 stalks Celery, diced (around 1 1/2 cups)

1 small Carrot, diced

1 medium Onion, diced

1 Tablespoon Dill Seed, ground (maybe more)

1 teaspoon Granulated Garlic

2 – 2  1/4 teaspoons Sea Salt

Black Pepper to taste

Simmer until potatoes and carrots are fully cooked.

Remove from heat and mash the mixture with a potato masher.

Add the following:

1 cup Plain Yogurt

3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated

1 cup Buttermilk (or 1/2 & 1/2 if you want it less tangy)

1/2 cup Milk

1/4 cup Cream

Taste and adjust seasonings—especially the liquids, salt and dill seed.