Swiss Cheese & Sausage Soup

Ready for a hearty dinner soup? This soup, made with baby red potatoes, salty sausage, and thickened with real cream and Swiss cheese, is both filling and flavorful. The rye croutons, chives, and parsley garnish add just the right crunch and freshness to every bite. Another ladle, please! Makes about 6 bowls.

Ingredients:
FOR THE SOUP:
4 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
12 oz Polish Kielbasa sausage, sliced in thin rounds
6 cups chicken broth
2 lbs baby red potatoes, unpeeled and quartered
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
8 ounces Swiss cheese, grated
FOR THICKENING:
6 tablespoons cold water
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
GARNISHES:
Parsley, minced for garnish
Chives, sliced for garnish
Rye Croutons (see below)
RYE CROUTONS:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
6 slices of rye bread, diced into 3/8” cubes

Directions:
(1) Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large soup pot, sauté the diced onion, and celery over medium-high heat until translucent -- about 5-6 minutes.
(2) Remove the vegetables from the pot. Cook the Kielbasa sausage until browned on all sides.
(3) Add the sautéed vegetables back to the pot. Add the chicken broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil, and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender, about 15-20 minutes.
(4) Meanwhile, prepare the croutons. In a large skillet, heat the butter and olive oil until the butter melts, then toss in the diced bread. Heat the croutons on medium heat stirring often until the bread is toasted and crunchy. Set croutons aside in a bowl until ready to serve the soup.
(5) Once the potatoes have cooked, add the heavy cream to the soup and season with salt and pepper.
(6) Thicken the soup with a slurry. In a small bowl, mix 6 tablespoons of cold water with 2 tablespoons flour and 2 tablespoons cornstarch. Whisk the slurry into the soup and simmer for 4 minutes to thicken.
(7) Slowly stir in the grated Swiss cheese while constantly whisking until all of the cheese is incorporated in the soup. Add any water as needed, to thin the soup to your desired consistency.
(8) Serve the soup warm with a garnish of croutons, chives, and parsley.