"Bliss In A Bowl"

Talk about perfect timing!
The snow is gently falling, and the temperature outside is a cool -1 C .... brrrrr.
Yet, I am warm and toasty. I've got my fav pj's on, and my fluffy, cosy slippers.
A fire is crackling away in my stone fireplace. (Oh, how I love the sights, sounds, and scents, of a wood burning fire.)
And... drum roll please... I've just indulged in a big "bowl of bliss"!
"What is she talking about ?", you ask. And so I shall answer.
On this chilly, windy, snowy, noon hour, I've just enjoyed a piping warm bowl of "potage".
A soup from 18th century France, fit for a queen! Really! The Queen of the day figures into the story of potage. Stay tuned....

A mere few weeks ago, I had never heard of potage. Then, on Thanksgiving weekend, my better half and I attended a lovely wedding, just off the island of Montreal. The day was perfect, the setting pictureque, the ceremony short and sweet. I tried my best to decipher the many conversations taking place "en francais". But, to be honest, my success was limited. I did, however, catch one word. After enjoying a heavenly soup, served for the first course of dinner, I asked my nearest table guest, "What is this delicious confection?" "Potage", came the simple answer. Then to my delight, she proceeded to share the basics of creating potage at home. Oh happy day!! (Merci, Annette)

Fast forward to yesterday. Sunday dinner. Company. An elderly guest, and her vegetarian nephew. What to serve?... Potage!  But being who I am, before I set about cooking, I had to do a little investigation into this wonderful, full-bodied soup.
As the story goes, a young frenchman returns home from war, and finds the citizens of his beloved homeland starving. Determined to right this wrong, he took the lowly, oft forgotten potato, and created a soup fit for the bellies of his countrymen. And, perhaps as a show of gratitude for saving her nation from the throws of malnutrtion (?!), the Queen even adorned her coiffure with a potato flower. Fact or fiction, it's a good story!

There are many versions of this historic soup.
With the hints from my wedding friend, and a few tweaks of my own, I present to you:

Barb's Blissful Potage
    Peel and coarsely chop:
4 large potatoes             1 large yam
5 carrots                        1 med onion
1 med zuchini                 1 large roasted pepper (red or yellow, skinned and seeded)
2 purple topped turnips
   
Place vegetables in large stock pot and add:
1 can lentils, drained and rinsed                                 2 C cauliflower, chopped
1 container chicken or vegetable broth (900 mls)       3-4 grinds of sea salt & coarse pepper
pinch of dried thyme                                                  pinch of curry powder

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 45 mins. to 1 hr.
Remove from heat. Let cool 10 mins.
Add: 1 container Campbell's "Gardenay Butternut Squash" soup
         1 C  half & half cream
With hand blender, puree until smooth. (If using stand blender, let soup cool longer, puree in batches, then gently reheat.) Ladle into your favorite dishes, drizzle with a little cream, serve with slabs of buttered, country harvest bread, and voila... "Bliss in a Bowl" !

Simple, sublime, sustenance. I love it. Je l'adore.


Keep on keeping on... bArB :)