Potato Soup with Andouille

It is getting cooler at night and it makes us yearn for soup! This is one of our favorites. I often make this soup with bacon instead of andouille. Andouille, for those not from Louisiana, is a smokey cross between bacon, ham and sausage. Look in your specialty meat section. 

5 lbs. white potatoes peeled and diced in salted water just to cover potatoes 

One quart half and half 1 stick of butter one onion diced 

1 lb. andouille sausage, diced (bacon may be substituted) 

1/2 cup flour 

 Boil potatoes until just before fork tender.  Add half and half to potatoes and water. Bring up to temperature. In a separate skillet, brown andouille (or bacon) until rendered. Add butter and onion. Sautee onion until soft and translucent. Add flour to andouille, butter and onion mixture. Cook for a minute or two until flour is light brown. Add the flour, andouille, butter and onion mixture to the potato, water, and half and half mixture. Stir until creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top this soup with grated cheddar cheese or sour cream. You can serve it in a bread bowl for a special presentation