Schwalm potato soup with blood sausage

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 1 ½ kg potatoes
• 1 small celeriac
• 3 carrots
• ½ stalk(s) leek
• 1 liter beef broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 juniper berries
• e.g. salt and pepper
• 1 pinch(s) of sugar
• 100 g bacon, streaky
• 2 tbsp lard
• 600 g black pudding, alternatively Frankfurter sausages
• 150 g sour cream, alternatively cream
• 1 bunch of parsley

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 10 minutes

North Hessian potato soup with sausage, several variations

Version 1 (with chunks): Peel and dice the potatoes, celery, and carrots (maximum 1 cm per side). Trim and finely chop the leek. Dice the bacon, dice the onions in half, and cut the other half into half rings. Heat the lard, fry the bacon in it, then add the prepared vegetables and diced onions and sauté for about 2-3 minutes until a variety of aromas develop. Pour in the broth, add the bay leaf and juniper berries, and simmer covered for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, fry the onion rings in a little butter until golden brown. Chop the parsley. Season the soup with salt, pepper, and sugar and add the onion rings. Add the sliced ​​sausage and finally the sour cream and parsley. Serve with toasted bread cubes, if desired. Version 2 (finely pureed): Peel and dice the potatoes, celery, and carrots (the cubes can be irregular and quite large, with edges measuring 2 cm). Trim and chop the leek. Dice the bacon, and cut the onions into half rings or quarter rings. Heat 1 tablespoon of lard, add the prepared vegetables, and sauté briefly until a variety of aromas develop, about 2-3 minutes. Pour in the broth, add the bay leaf and juniper berries, and simmer covered for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, fry the bacon in 1 tablespoon of lard and roast the onion rings until golden brown. Chop the parsley. Puree the soup, season with salt, pepper, and sugar, and add the bacon and onion rings. Bring back to a boil and add the sliced ​​sausage. Finally, add the sour cream and parsley. You can also add some of both to your plates at the table.