Meatless Monday--Potato Rosemary Soup

True, genuine soup weather doesn't come very often in Phoenix.  Usually that doesn't stop me; I'm a huge soup lover.  But there are just certain types of soup that really are better on a cold winter's night.  Potato soup is one of them.  It's thick and creamy and warms you from the inside out.  

This particular recipe puts a new twist on your basic potato soup.  Potato and rosemary are a classic combination and, of course, they work beautifully here.  The twist comes from the feta cheese, which adds a wonderfully salty bite to the soup and makes it different enough to stand out without taking away the comfort I always look for in potato soup.  As if all of this wasn't enough, this was BY FAR the easiest potato soup I've ever made.  I felt like I did little more than throw ingredients in a pot and let them go--I didn't even have to peel the potatoes!  Less than 30 minutes stood between me and a bowl of cold weather goodness.  A definite win.

I'm submitting this recipe to Branny Boils Over's Charity Souper Bowl Challenge.  Branny's not much of a football fan, but she loves soup and loves animals.  Last year, she found a very clever way to combine those loves.  For every soup recipe her readers make and submit to her in the month of January, she'll donate $1.00 to the ASPCA.  Last year she donated over $50.  Let's beat it this year!  YOU can enter, too.  Just follow the Souper Bowl link above and follow her simple directions.  You don't even have to have a blog.  Just a camera, an e-mail address, and some soup.  Come on, guys!  You still have two weeks left!

Potato Rosemary Soup

slightly adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

Ingredients:

1 TBSP olive oil
1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced
5 large Russet potatoes, washed and cubed (peeled or not)
6 c. vegetable broth

1 c. water
3 TBSP unsalted butter
3 TBSP all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. milk (I used skim)

3/4 tsp. each salt and black pepper, plus more to taste
1/2 c. feta cheese
1/2 TBSP chopped fresh rosemary

Directions:

1. In a large stock pot, heat olive oil and sauté onion until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add potatoes, broth, and water to the pot. Bring to boil and reduce to medium heat. Let potatoes cook until tender, about 20 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove 2 cups potatoes. Set aside. Puree the remaining potatoes with an immersion blender or put potatoes in a blender or food processor.

2. When 5 minutes remain in cooking time for the potatoes, melt butter in a small saucepan.  Stir in flour and cook 2 minutes. Whisk in milk, bring to a boil, and simmer until thickened.  Slowly stir mixture into large stock pot with the pureed potatoes.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a low simmer. Stir the 2 cups of potatoes back into the soup. 

3. Stir in salt, pepper, feta, and rosemary.  If desired, puree further to make completely smooth.  Check salt and pepper and adjust to taste. Cook an additional 5 minutes. Serve warm.  Serves 4-6.