A Chef's Table

A "souper" salute to St. Patrick
By Jim Coleman with Maiken Scott

Jim Coleman St. Patrick's Day is here, and whether you're Irish or not, it's always a great reason to have a celebration.

We can all have a little of the luck of the Irish! This delicious soup combines potatoes with elephant garlic.

Elephant garlic is actually closely related to the leek and thought by some to be the wild ancestor of the leek.

The bulbs are very large and can weigh more than one pound. They are also much milder than regular garlic, and you can find it in most grocery or produce stores. Enjoy!

Elephant Garlic and Yukon Gold Potato Soup

1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into half-inch pieces
1 head elephant garlic
1 tablespoon of olive oil
4 cups of chicken stock
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions (green part only)
Salt and pepper to taste

In a medium soup pot over medium heat, saute the garlic with the potatoes and olive oil for approximately five minutes or until the garlic is slightly golden.

Add the chicken stock and salt and pepper to taste. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until the potatoes are very soft.

Remove the soup and puree in a food processor or blender until smooth. Transfer back into the saucepot and stir in the scallions and serve. This recipe makes approximately 4 servings.

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