Cooking: cheeseburger soup

When it's cold out in the world, there is nothing better than a hot, steamy soup.  Unless it's a hearty, hot, steamy soup with plenty of ingredients to provide warmth and comfort...

Cheeseburger soup

(adapted from The Recipe Critic)

500g minced meat

¾ cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup diced celery

1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried parsley 

1 tsp smoked paprika

4 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk

 

1 kg diced potatoes (I used frozen)

200g processed cheese (I used Maredsous double cream)

salt/pepper to taste

grated cheese, to taste

I start with the chicken broth, which I make with the carcass of one chicken, which I boil together with celery, carrots and peppercorns - and plenty of water.  I reckon I start with 1.5l-2l, ending up with about 1 litre of stock.  I also use the (boiled) carrots from the stock into the soup (waste not, want not...).  At the same time, I brown the minced meat.

On to the soup:  Finely chop the onion, carrot and celery in a blender so that they end up like a paste.  In a huge pot, melt a bit of butter over medium heat and slightly brown the paste so that the aroma starts working.  Add the condiments and the minced meat. Once everything is warmed up again,  slowly add the broth, making sure that the temperature is maintained at a medium.  Add the potatoes (which I take out of the freezer so that they thaw a bit) and continue steering.  Add the processed cheese, leave everything to bubble away (for about 45 minutes).  Add the milk.

I did not need to thicken the soup, which I actually prefer.  That way, I can reheat the portions I want and I just add some grated cheese on top.  Bliss...