Remus stood uncertainly in the kitchen doorway, watching Severus bustle around. His movements were deft and sure and altogether he gave off a rather depressing air of competence. Well, he had been first in their class in Potions every year, doubtless earning an Outstanding N.E.W.T., and cooking wasn't perhaps so different from potion making, when you got down to it.
He didn't like to interrupt Severus's concentration and so he stood silently as Severus worked.
"You could carry these to the table now, if you would." Severus indicated the several bowls and dishes that were ready, and Remus gladly complied.
"It all looks marvellous," he complimented Severus as they sat down.
Severus flushed. "Thank you."
They began with three oysters on the half shell each, something that Remus had never before eaten, but which to his surprise he found delicious. The starter was followed by a light yellow soup, potato, he thought, but with something else as well, and bits of what he guessed might be mushroom, woody and complex in flavour.
"This never came out of a tin, did it?" Remus asked, although he was certain in his own mind as to the answer. "Is it difficult? Do you have a recipe?" Not that he himself was much of a cook, but for something like this, he would be willing to put in more effort.
"My own invention," Severus muttered. "No recipe. Er. How is new your job going?"
Commentary: The color of this soup is very much what I imagined the soup Severus makes in the fic to have looked like, although there are no mushrooms in this recipe and certainly no aphrodisiac herbs!
Source: Bernard Clayton's Complete Book of Soups and Stews - Russian Potato Soup
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. butter 2 med. onions, finely chopped 2 ribs celery, finely chopped 1 lb. potatoes, peeled and diced 1 carrot, grated 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 c. water, approximately 1 bay leaf 1/4 tsp. basil 1 tsp. chicken bouillon or salt, if desired 1/3 c. bacon or ham bits, optional 2-3 c. chicken stock, heated 1/8 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 1/8 tsp. paprika 1 Tbsp. dry sherry, optional
Instructions:
In a medium saucepan, heat butter and sauté onions, celery, potatoes, carrots, and garlic for about 15 min. over med.-low heat, taking care not to burn them.
Cover the vegetables with water (about 1 c.); add bay leaf, basil, and bouillon. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer until all vegetables are tender, 20-25 min. Mash into a coarse pureé with a potato masher or briefly in a food processor.
While the vegetables are cooking, fry the bacon or ham until crisp and drain on paper towels.
Add the hot chicken stock and meat bits to the blend of vegetables in the saucepan. If soup becomes too thick, add more stock. Season with Worcestershire sauce, paprika, and sherry.
Notes:
As I've written it here, I've doubled the amount of potato from the original recipe; I found the soup too thin and not very potato-ish. Nice flavor, though.