Potato Cheese Chili Soup

A Moosewood classic

Ingredients

• 4 medium russet potatoes
  
• 3c water
  
• 1tbsp butter
  
• 1tbsp olive oil
  
• 1/2 of a large onion, chopped
  
• 1.75tsp salt
  
• 1tsp cumin
  
• 1tsp basil
  
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  
• lots of fresh black pepper
  
• 1 green bell pepper, diced.
  
• 1c diced green chilies (2 small cans of it is 9oz - close enough)
  
• 3/4c nonfat yogurt
  
• 1c milk
  
• 3/4c jack cheese, grated (or cut up smallish so they'll melt - it's not really important that you GRATE it. I didn't.)
  
• 2 scallions, chopped
  

Scrub the potatoes and cut into small chunks (unpeeled). Cook them in the 3c of water until tender (about 20 minutes). Meanwhile, sautee the onions in butter in olive oil. After a few minutes, add salt, cumin, basil, garlic, and black pepper and sautee until onions are soft. Add bell pepper and cook a few minutes longer.
Puree the potatoes in their cooking water and return to the stove. Add the sauteed vegetables along with the diced chilies, yogurt, and milk. Stir until well blended over medium-low heat. When it's hot & well combined, stir in cheese and scallions. Serve.

Thoughts: I followed the directions fairly strictly in making this (which is kind of new for me) but it turned out really well. My personal feeling is that the potatoes got a LITTLE gluey when I pureed them as I did. Next time, I'd cook them for a little longer in the liquid and then mash them manually (so as not to get them TOO well worked). The flavor was terrific, though. I'd eat this again.

Disaster Index: 2/10