Fred Cordonnier, executive chef at The Clarence in Dublin, Ireland, has the pleasure of cooking for Bono and Edge of the rock group U2. In 1992, the two musicians purchased the 150-year-old hotel, reopening it in 1996 after 20 months of restoration and refurbishment.

Chef Cordonnier presides over the critically acclaimed Tea Room, an impressive restaurant that made the Conde Nast Traveler Gold List last year. He has graciously provided his recipe for Potato and Almond Soup. I’ll warn you now: It’s extremely rich. Shop for the ingredients at your favorite organic food store and enjoy!

Potato and Almond Soup

Serves 8

Bouillon
6½ cups water
2/3 lb. (11 oz.) white potatoes
1 slice ham
1 carrot (whole)
1 onion (whole)
1 stalk celery (whole)
1 clove garlic (whole)
3 stalks parsley

Almond Cream
1/4 cup very cold water
1¾ cups whipping cream
3 tablespoons almond oil
Salt

Almond Base
1¾ cups cream
1/2 cup almond powder (available at natural food stores)
1 drop bitter almond essence

Additional Ingredients
1¾ sticks of butter
1 cup cream
Salt to taste

1. To make the bouillon, peel and cut the potatoes. Add the rest of the bouillon ingredients and cook slowly for 1 hour. Strain, separating the bouillon and cooked potatoes. Do not discard.
2. Prepare the almond cream. Add the cold water to the whipping cream. Season with salt and whisk together. Add the almond oil, and keep in a cool place.
3. Make the almond base. Boil the cream. Add the almond powder and almond essence. Cover and let sit for 20 minutes so the flavors can infuse. Pass through a fine strainer.
4. To prepare the soup, place 4¼ cups of the bouillon, 1/2 lb. of the cooked potatoes, the almond base, almond cream, butter and cup of cream in a pot. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Season with salt to taste. If the soup is too thick, add some additional bouillon.

More Irish Recipes

• Brown Scones — Chef Suzanne Goin of Lucques in Los Angeles
• Mildly Spicy Red Cabbage — Chef Catherine Fulvio of Ballyknocken House in Wicklow, Ireland
• Brussels Sprout Hash — Chef Jeff Eng of Clyde’s of Georgetown in Washington, DC