Serves 6
• 5 to 6 russet potatoes
• 5 Tbs. butter
• 2 large yellow onions
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. dill seeds, crushed in a mortar
• 2 Tbs. flour
• 2 cups milk
• 6 oz. Gouda cheese, grated
• 1 Tbs. paprika
• 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
• salt
• fresh-ground black pepper
1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into small cubes. Boil them in just enough lightly salted water to cover them until they are tender. Do not discard the cooking water.
2. Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large, deep skillet or pot. Cut the onions in half crosswise and slice them thinly. Sauté the sliced onions in the melted butter along with the bay leaves, stirring often, until the onions just start to turn golden. Add the crushed dill seeds and stir a minute more, then add the cooked potatoes along with their water.
3. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a heavy-bottomed skillet, stir in 2 tablespoons flour, and cook a minute or two over low heat. In a separate saucepan, heat the milk, and then stir it into the roux. Stir constantly with a whisk until the sauce has thickened and is completely smooth. Add it to the soup.
4. Bit by bit, add the grated cheese, stirring slowly all the while. Then add the paprika, Worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. Keep the soup barely simmering on a low flame, stirring often, for about 15 minutes more. Serve hot.
