Potato & Green Bean Soup

I made this soup last year during a collaborative cooking session with some of our friends that are enthusiastic, knowledgeable and passionate about fine dining and cooking. The theme for the dinner was French Cuisine. So, we put together a four-course meal (not including the addictive cheese platter!), and had a great time cooking and working together in the kitchen. 

The menu was:

• Peas, Mint & Parmesan Crostini - so delish! I need to record the recipe that was settled on before we forget. Well, I already have forgotten, so need to re-experiment with the ingredient measurements!
• Green Bean & Potato Soup (deceptively good and creamy!)
• Mushroom Bourguignon (So hardy and flavorful! Some day I should come up with a substitute for mushrooms...)
• Poached Pears (need to record this recipe too! I put in so many spices / flavorings - vanilla bean, saffron, lemon rinds, cloves, cardamom, star anise, cinnamon... well, everything except the kitchen sink :))

All in all, an evening well spent - good food, great company, awesome music, wonderful conversations :)

So, reminiscing on those good times, here's how the soup was prepared. This is a very simple dish with simple seasonings, but the result is a flavorful comforting bowl of soup.

Ingredients (serves 4-5):

Inspired from: Here

1. 4.25 cups roughly chopped green beans (Haricot Vert, if possible)
2. 4 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and diced
3. 4 shallots, chopped
4. 4 cloves of garlic, sliced
5. 2 tablespoons olive oil
6. 2 tablespoons dried sage (rubbed sage)
7. 2 teaspoons salt, or as needed
8. 2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
9. 4 cups vegetable stock / water
10. 1 cup milk (low fat, if you prefer, or full cream, if you want to indulge :))

Preparation:

1. Heat olive oil in a soup pot / dutch oven
2. When hot, add shallots and saute on medium heat until translucent. Add garlic flakes and saute for 1 minute. 
3. Add green beans and some salt and cook for 5 minutes. Next, add potatoes, sage, and remaining salt and cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Add vegetable stock / water and cook on medium heat until vegetables cook and are fork-tender. Remove from heat
5. Grind the mixture to desired consistency. Transfer back to the pot and add milk. Allow the soup to simmer/cook for 5 minutes. 
6. Remove from heat, add cracked black pepper and serve with a bread/baguette. 

Adjust seasonings to your preference. The husband and I are not big fans of parsley, so I don't garnish the soup with any fresh herbs. If you like parsley, garnish with a healthy helping of it!