Mashed potato soup is such an amazing way to use up leftover mashed potatoes, since the bulk of the recipe is already finished, leaving you to whip up a simple roux and simmer, season a bit, and there you have it–a piping bowl of satisfying potato soup that tastes like it took all day to make. Potato soup is nothing new, though, so what’s so special about this recipe? It’s simple, so say it with me, folks. Tarragon. Tar-ra-gon. Tarragggggawwwwwwwddddthisissogood.
That’s pretty much turned into my meditation mantra these days, and for good reason: the light, herbaceous, almost-licorice taste of fresh tarragon turns potato soup from a ho-hum Pinterested mommy-blogger recipe into a gourmet dish, bursting with flavor and elegance. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with loaded baked potato Crockpot-type recipes (and they’re totally delicious from time to time), but when you’re looking for something with a bit more simultaneous sophistication, ease and lightness, I’ve got the soup for you! Tarragon is an herb almost traditionally found almost exclusively in French cuisine (French tarragon, that is; you can also find a Russian variety, but it’s much weaker in flavor), which naturally infuses any dish with a bit of culinary excitement and feeling of indulgence. I wasn’t sure how well it would work in a potato soup, which is traditionally quite heavy and wintry, but I was so, so pleasantly surprised. The sweet tarragon mingled perfectly with the smooth, creamy potatoes, adding a je-ne-sais-quoi that I just adore.
