Smoked Salmon And Cream Cheese Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups onions (yellow or white variety, finely chopped)
2 garlic cloves (crushed & finely minced)
3/4 cup fresh dill (chopped)
1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning (more as desired)
2 medium tomatoes (ripe, seeded & chopped)
8 ounces smoked salmon (finely chopped)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
8 cups water
2 cups fresh spinach (10 oz pkg, stems removed & leaves finely chopped)
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1/3 cup vodka
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
snipped fresh chives (optional garnish)

Preparation

Melt butter in med-size stock pot over med heat. Add onion + garlic & saute till onions are soft, 10-15 minutes.
Stir in dill, Old Bay Seasoning, tomatoes & smoked salmon. Cook 3 minutes. Then add flour & cook 1 min more.
Gradually stir in water & heat to a soft boil. Reduce heat & simmer uncovered over med-low heat for 20 minutes.
Stir in spinach & simmer 5 more minutes.
Stir in cream cheese (1 oz at a time) over low heat, allowing ea bit to melt into the soup.
When all the cream cheese has been added & the soup is smooth, stir in the vodka & lemon juice. Taste for seasonings & serve immediately.
NOTES: I entered this recipe as given to me & made a half recipe w/2 chgs in my trial version.
I left out the vodka (none in the house!), subbed dry white wine & frankly doubt I will ever use the vodka. I pd homage to a DH pers pref & subbed diced broccoli florets for the spinach. I pd homage to 1 of my own by adding 4 oz baby shrimp.
Pers pref are often at the heart of any success a recipe enjoys. I found this soup in need of salt, but DH did not. He found the lemon juice a bit excessive, but I did not. Bottom line is tasting for your pers pref is advised.