Jalapeno Potato Soup
Jalapenos are the most popular chile peppers in the US. This is probably due to the availability and versatility of the chile. Jalapenos have a balanced combination of flavor and heat.
The demand for these have caused breeders to develop a broad range of varieties. You can now get jalapenos with various heat level and sizes. These can be used in salsas, stuffed, or eaten straight with cheeseburgers (my personal favorite).
Ingredients:
2-1/2 pounds potatoes, diced
5 big celery sticks, diced
2 big onions, diced
1 can evaporated milk
1-1/4 pounds jalapeno chiles, seeded and deveined
1/4 pound serrano chiles, seeded and deveined
salt and pepper ( white pepper too, if available)
2 Tbsp. margarine
flour to thicken
Instructions:
Fry 1 pound of pork side meat. Drain the pieces of meat and break into bits. Boil the diced potatoes until done, but still firm and drain. Pour in the milk and 6 cans of water. Throw in the margarine and pork bits. Do not cook any higher than medium heat.
In the blender puree half of the jalapenos and all of serranos. Stir the puree into the milk and potatoes. When this is steaming and almost ready to serve, toss in the diced jalapenos, onions, and celery. Dont overcook the vegetables, you want them to still be crisp. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add 2-4 Tbsp. of flour or cornstarch to thicken.