Cozy French Bistro: Truffled Potato Soup
By: Sheri Wetherell
Published: March 1, 2016

Potato soup is an easy and comforting dish that can be whipped up in well under 30 minutes. It's wonderful as a main dish with a simple green salad or as a dish preceding the main course. I recently attended a Cozy French Bistro cooking class hosted by my good friend Erin Coopey, an astute chef and culinary instructor. Like her Truffled Potato Soup, each dish in her multi-course meal were easy enough for any level of cook and so delicious (check out this Chicken with Creamy Mustard Sauce recipe)! Her velvety Truffle Potato Soup is flavored with fresh thyme and earthy black truffle oil. For the best and fullest flavor you need a good-quality, 100% truffle oil. Look for the little bottles labeled "100% truffle oil" in your supermarket or buy on Amazon.com (we love this one for $14.95).
Truffle oil packs a powerful - and flavorful - punch and a little goes a long way, so don't be off-put by the high sticker price. It's so worth it! 

Truffled Potato Soup
Courtesy of Chef Erin Coopey, instructor at PCC Natural Markets
	Serves 4-8
	Prep time: 15 minutes
	Cook time: 1 hour
	2 tablespoons butter
	1 white onion, peeled and roughly chopped
	1 bunch fresh thyme, tied with twine
	2 pounds (about 3 medium) russet potatoes, peeled and roughly diced
	4 cups chicken stock
	1/2 cup heavy cream
	Sea salt, to taste
	Freshly ground black pepper
	1 to 2 tablespoons black truffle oil
	Heat the butter in a stock pot over medium heat. Slowly sweat the onions in the butter for about 5 minutes, until translucent and soft but not colored.
	Add the thyme, potatoes and stock to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Add the cream and bring back to a boil. Remove the thyme and purée the mixture with a stick blender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the truffle oil one tablespoon - truffle oil can be very strong - until you like the flavor. Divide among your serving bowls.
	Note: If you want to dress up this comforting soup, try tossing some chopped flat leaf parsley and celery leaves with a little olive oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle over the soup at the last minute before serving.