Old Mission Recipes: Freddy Dohm’s Potato Leek Ham Soup

As we were tooling by Freddy Dohm’s farm stand the other day, we spotted him there and turned around to take a picture. He sells maple syrup at the stand year-round (“a short season,” he says of this year), and honeycrisp apples and other produce when it’s in season. The stand is located at 16625 Center Road.

Freddy’s siblings are Barb Wunsch (Wunsch Farms), Ginny Coulter (Old Mission Flowers) and Della, who lives elsewhere. I’ve known him all my life. I don’t know how we got to talking about recipes, but apparently, Freddy is quite the cook! He says he loves to take recipes and make them his own by adding and modifying various ingredients.

“I go on the Internet and cook stuff on the Internet, and I always make stuff better than they do,” he says. “It doesn’t take much.”

The leeks are out in the woods in full force, so this is a great recipe to try right now. Thanks, Freddy! (He also goes by Fred and Frederic, but I’ve always called him Freddy, so that’s what I’m sticking with.)

Freddy Dohm’s Potato Leek Ham Soup

Cut about four or five pounds of red potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Put into a large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Add about a cup of celery, a cup of diced-up ham, “and some carrots, if you want.” Let everything simmer.

While the potato mixture is simmering, dice up a batch of leeks picked fresh from the woods, including the stalks and leaves. If you’d rather not include the leaves in the soup, he says you can add them to a salad. “They’re good to eat,” he says.

Saute leeks in a pan with a couple tablespoons of butter, then stir into the potato mixture. Add salt and pepper and a smidge of nutmeg. Stir in a pint of Half and Half, along with a couple tablespoons of flour to thicken. Add a handful of shredded cheese and enjoy!

Also Read… (Reba is Freddy’s mom)