Norbis potato soup

Ingredients for 8 servings:

• 1 ½ kg potatoes
• 500 g carrot(s)
• 200 g celeriac
• 500 g onion(s)
• 2 ½ liters of broth
• 3 cloves garlic
• 100 g processed cheese
• 1 tsp marjoram
• 1 pinch of mugwort
• 1 pinch(s) basil
• 1 handful of parsley
• 1 pinch(s) of caraway powder
• 1 pinch(s) nutmeg
• salt and pepper
• Sunflower oil
• Cayenne pepper, optional

Instructions

Working time approx. 25 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 55 minutes

Easy and quick soup with ingredients that everyone has at home

Wash and peel the vegetables (potatoes, carrots, celery, onions) and cut into roughly walnut-sized pieces. Chop the garlic roughly, do not press it. For the broth, use either instant powder or homemade garlic. Of course, you can add other vegetables. Leeks are particularly excellent, but you don’t always have them at home. Now place a large soup pot on the stove and add a little oil of your choice (I use sunflower oil). Turn on the heat and, as a test, add a small piece of onion to the oil. As soon as it starts to make frying noises, the pot is hot enough. Add the onions and fry. Fry the onions for about 2-3 minutes until translucent, then add the remaining vegetables and garlic and fry everything together. Stir frequently to get nice roasted aromas for the soup. Set the stove to about 2/3 of its maximum power; I use level 7. Finally, deglaze with the vegetable stock and simmer for 20-25 minutes, reducing the heat if necessary. Foam may form on the surface during cooking; remove it with a slotted spoon, as otherwise the soup may become bitter. As soon as the foam stops, add the spices. Tip: You can add more spices to suit your taste. I like to use the ones listed and usually opt for the dried variety. Marjoram, in particular, gives the soup a certain kick. With nutmeg, caraway, and mugwort, less is more; use them sparingly and season to taste. Roughly chop the parsley and add it. When the vegetables are cooked until soft, turn off the heat. Purée everything finely with an immersion blender, then stir in the processed cheese at the end. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Optionally, add cayenne pepper (but be careful not to use too much, as it will easily overpower the soup’s delicate flavors). Serve with rustic farmhouse bread. This is my basic recipe; depending on your mood and what’s in your fridge, you can add Vienna sausages, bacon, fried onions, croutons, or similar to spice up the soup.