Potato Soup III (with shrimp)

Ingredients

1/2 stick butter

1 cup onion, chopped into small pieces

2 medium carrots, sliced into thin rounds

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

8 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cubed

4 cups milk

1 strong flavour chicken stock, reduced from our recipe to ½ cup (see our chicken stock recipe)

1 cup half-and-half

2 cups water with a little salt added

2 cups medium shrimp

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Crumbled bacon bits, for garnish

Grated sharp Cheddar, for garnish

Dill sprigs, optional garnish

1. In a Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onion and carrots until both are tender. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the potatoes, milk, and reduced chicken stock. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are very soft. Add the half-and-half, salt, and pepper.

2. In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups slightly salted water to a boil. Add the shrimp all at once and stir until the shrimp turn pink, turn off the heat and drain. The shrimp should be a little undercooked. When they are cool, peel them, and chop into big pieces. Add the shrimp to the soup and stir well. Serve soup sprinkled with bacon bits and grated cheese. Garnish with dill sprigs, if desired.

Serves 6