“It’s always good to make extra because soup is just magical food.” – Pamela Knutson
NOTE: I spend my Wednesdays Unplugged from appointments. It’s my day to stay home, enjoy cooking and welcome our kids and grandkids for dinner in the evening. We end our meal with quotes from the Norwegian ‘Quote Cup’ passed on to me from my grandmother. I share a quote and a recipe here each week, along with an update and photos of what has been going on in our lives. I love trying new recipes…and love getting recipes you would like to share!
Two weeks ago the StarTribune published an article announcing that Pamela Knutson of Birdsong Soups is retiring after 20 years. I first heard of her Community Supported Soup 8 years ago and picked up my amazing soup each week for several years. Even after I was no longer a member I would occasionally need a fix of Pam’s soup and I just finished my last bowl of her chili which was tucked away in the freezer this week! This has been the coldest week of the year… what better time for the first day back in school! After nearly a year of distance learning due to Covid-19 our grandson started back with hybrid school this week… in person only one day per week for now, but finally starting his junior year in high school in actual classrooms!
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
This week’s recipe is a family recipe from Pamela Knutson of Birdsong Soups. With subzero temperatures this week, what better time to try it. I knew it would be good… and it was better than that, it was fabulous! Full of flavor… even my husband, who isn’t a soup lover, finished his bowl and went back for more! We are both 98% Norwegian so don’t have Polish pickles in our DNA… but having grown up on a potato farm, potatoes are in my veins. I have never experienced a soup like this before, but it really perked up our ‘family night’ without family… we are going to have to deliver some to our family to share, this is too good to miss!
POLISH PICKLE AND POTATO SOUP
from Birdsong Soups owner Pam Knutson, “My mother was Polish and Czech and although this wasn’t her recipe, it might explain why I love it, because it’s in my DNA.” Serve with chunks of potatoes, carrots and pickles, or purée the soup in a blender in small batches. Serve hot or cold.
- 2 tbsp. butter
- Canola oil
- 2 onions, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 4 c. vegetable or chicken stock
- 4 large red or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced into chunks
- 3 c. chopped dill pickles, plus up to 2/3 c. reserved pickle juice, divided
- 1 c. sour cream
- 2 tbsp. flour
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Freshly chopped dill, to taste
In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat, melt butter and add a splash of canola oil. Add onions and cook until soft, about 10 to 15 minutes, adding a bit of water if necessary to keep onions from sticking to the pan. Add carrots and garlic and cook until carrots are bright in color, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add stock and potatoes. Increase heat to high, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Add pickles and cook an additional 10 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk together sour cream and flour. Add a few tablespoons of broth from the soup to the sour cream mixture and whisk. Add sour cream mixture into soup and stir until soup comes back to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and pickle juice to taste. Serve hot or cold, garnished with dill.
