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Peasant Potato Soup with Dumplings

Many years ago I lived several months in Hettinger, a town in southwestern North Dakota. The area was settled largely by 'German Russians', immigrants from Ukraine. Along with their imported language, religion and social customs, the immigrants also brought their foods to the New World. One dish I especially enjoyed was a very simple potato soup with dumplings, served several times both in the home where I stayed and at one of the local restaurants.

This reconstructed recipe comes close to my recollection of that thick, tasty peasant soup. It takes little time and uses the simplest of ingredients. Stock/broth. Use chicken or vegetable broth or water saved from draining boiled potatoes; last resort is plain water. Potatoes. For creamier soup, choose russets. If the potatoes have tender skins, just wash and brush the potatoes rather than peeling. Carrots. Usually a good brushing is enough. You may want to cut the carrots into matchstick-size pieces (julienne).

Total time about an hour (but simmer longer for the best-tasting soup). Serves 4-5.

SHOPPING LIST:
Jerry's Recipes
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Chicken or vegetable stock
  • Potatoes
  • Carrots
  • Bay leaf
  • Milk

Make dumplings
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small bowl and mix in about 1/2 cup (4 oz) all-purpose flour, gently kneading the mixture to make a ball of dough. Add a little water if needed to make the dough ball workable. Then pinch off pieces of dough and form each into a little ball about the size of a marble. Then set the little balls—dumplings—aside (covered). For lighter dumplings, use my standard soup dumpling recipe.


Start the soup
In a heavy pot, heat butter then cook onions over medium heat until onions are translucent and beginning to brown (add garlic in last minute)
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
  • salt and fresh ground black pepper
Add, bring to boil, then simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender (20 minutes or more)
  • 4-5 cups (32-40 oz) stock (see notes above)
  • 4-6 medium potatoes, diced into irregular chunks
  • 1-2 carrots cut as described above
  • 1 bay leaf


Finish
Add, then simmer until soup is steaming hot and dumplings are cooked (about 5 minutes)
  • about 1/4 cup (2 oz) whole milk or half-and-half
  • Dumplings (from above)
  • Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Serve soup with hearty bread.

rainbow

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