Fall means a “Tate” harvest. The other day I was running the dogs and saw a full potato truck cruising down the back road. After loading the pups, I went to where I thought the harvest was going on. Sure enough, the field was being harvested.
Potato harvests don’t get all the potatoes. There are always leftovers and the gracious farmers let you go in and hand pick the leftover.
I parked the truck and filed a grocery bag full of culls. Some were HUGE! Others are the size of golf balls. One of my buddies, Norm, prefers Baby Tates, so I filled a bag for him.
Fall Tates means Potato soup. This easy recipe is perfect on a cold day. I also make it for hunting camp. When made thick, it is more like a gravy than a soup. Poured over French bread or biscuits, it is a meal that hits the spot!
Here is a recipe that my Mother passed own. It has warmed the guts of my family for generations. Try it and see what you think.
3 big tates, or more
A tube of sausage or cut up bacon. Ground meat also works well
2 Cut up onions
2 cups of milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Thyme
1 can of chicken broth or some bouillon cubes
Can of corn
Parsley
Sour Cream
The beauty of this recipe is that you can easily make it your own. Boil the peeled tates until starting to get soft. The tate water is good for the soup. Add less if you want the soup to be thicker. Brown the sausage, ground, or bacon and onions. Mix everything together and smash the tates into chunks. Let simmer. Before you serve the soup, add a pint of Sour Cream. This makes the gravy silky smooth.
Serve with fresh biscuits or French bread.
Even the emptiest hunter bellies can fill up and warm up with this recipe.
Montana Grant
For more Montana Grant, find him cookin at www.montanagrantfishing.com.