Moldovan Potato Cheese Soup (Moldavsky Sup Iz Syra I Kartophelya)

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

50 g/2 oz unsalted butter

2 large onions, finely chopped

3 large carrots, chopped

2 large potatoes, peeled and chopped

1/4 tsp sweet paprika

Large pinch of cayenne pepper

1 Tbsp finely chopped parsley

1.25 ltrs/2 pt chicken stock

225 g/8 oz ewes cheese (Basque Ektori or similar) or Cheddar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Finely snipped chives

Cooking Instructions:

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and saute gently for about 20-25 minutes, until they are tender and lightly colored. Stir in the potatoes, spices and parsley, then add the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft. Strain the soup into a bowl and puree the vegetables in a blender or food processor with a little of the stock until smooth. Return the puree to the saucepan and add as much stock as necessary (about 1 litre/1 3/4 pt) to obtain a good consistency. Set the soup over low heat and stir in the cheese. Continue stirring until it has dissolved into the soup, but do not allow to boil. Adjust the seasoning to taste and serve immediately in individual bowls, topped with the snipped chives.

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