It is unfortunate that I forgot to take a photo as the soup was a very delicate, pale blush color and quite pretty. I'm not sure that I will add this to the list of family favorites but it was an interesting way to use potato peelings which have a lot of nutrients. I added carrot and parsnip peelings which may have contributed to the color and gave the soup some additional flavor as well as some oatmeal to thicken it slightly. I think a splash of sherry at the last minute would have been a good thing.
2 cups potato peels (or a mix of root vegetable peels)
1 shallot, peeled and roughly chopped
3 cups chicken or turkey stock
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of rosemary
1/4 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup cream
4 poached eggs *
1/2 cup pancetta, diced
Salt and cracked black pepper to taste
Tip the pancetta into a soup pot and cook over low heat until brown and crispy. Remove the pancetta from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper towel lined plate.
Increase the heat to medium and add the peelings, the shallot, the bay and the rosemary to the unwashed pan. Pancetta doesn't give off much fat and the little there is will give a bit of flavor to the finished product. Cook until the shallot and peel have softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the oatmeal and stir in well. Then pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Once it has boiled, lower the heat, cover the pan and let simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove from the heat, fish out the bay leaf and the rosemary and blend well. You can either use as is or strain for a smoother soup.
Add the cream and return to the heat. As soon as small bubbles form around the edges, your soup is hot enough for serving.
Check for salt and adjust seasoning. Ladle into 4 bowls and top each serving with 1/4 of the reserved pancetta and a poached egg*. Sprinkle with crackled black pepper and serve.
* For easy poached eggs, put 1/3 cup of water in a microwave safe glass and break in an egg. Microwave for 1 minute on high and voila. You will lose some of the white but this is a quick fix if you don't want to go to the trouble of poaching eggs.
Inspiration recipe, here.