Cheese and Potato Soup

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• ½ cup of finely chopped onion – (125ml)
• 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter – (30ml)
• 2 teaspoons of ground cumin – (10ml)
• 2 teaspoons of annatto butter – (10ml) see below
• 3 pounds of evenly diced (about 3” cubes) peeled baking potatoes – (1500grams)
• 8 cups of milk – (1000ml)
• 1 cup of water – (500ml)
• 2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh coriander – (30ml)
• 1 small jalapeno chili, seeds and ribs discarded, chopped fine
• 2 large egg yolks   1 ½ pounds of coarsely grated mozzarella cheese – (750grams)
• 1 teaspoon of coarse salt – (5ml)
• Cilantro for garnish.

Annatto Butter

• ½ cup unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces – (125ml)
• ½ cup annatto seed – (125ml)

Directions

1. To make the annatto butter melt one piece of butter in a small saucepan.  Add the annatto seeds. Let this mixture bubble away for 5 minutes.  Strain the butter into a jar, reserving the seeds.  Melt the next piece of butter in the same saucepan using the same seeds.  Repeat the process until you have used all 4 pieces of butter.  Seal the jar and this will keep for 2 months if refrigerated. Discard the seeds.
2. To make the refrito, melt the butter in a large soup pot and add diced onion.  Cook the onion until they are soft.  Add your ground cumin and annatto butter and stir until it’s melted.
3. Add the diced potatoes to the pot.  Add water, coriander, chili pepper and all but ¼ cup of the milk.  Cover to simmer until diced potatoes are tender.
4. In a bowl whisk together the egg yolks and the ¼ cup of milk left over. In a slow stream add ½ cup of the soup broth the egg mixture.  Be sure to add it gradually so that it won’t curdle the eggs.  Stir the egg mix into the soup and add the cheese.  Season with salt and pepper and stir over moderately low heat for 5 minutes. The soup should not simmer or boil.  The cheese should not completely melt.   Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with cilantro