Ham and potato soup

Dice the vegetables and the ham to about the same size.

Melt a chunk of butter in a soup pot over medium heat until light golden, then add the vegetables, ham and sliced garlic.

Sweat five or six minutes until the vegetables soften and the onions turn translucent.

Add the flour and cook in the fat for about three minutes over medium heat.

Drizzle in a quart of cold chicken broth, a splash at a time at first while stirring, then the rest.

Add a couple cups of water, raise to medium high, bring to a simmer and simmer about 15 minutes.

Cut Yukon Gold potatoes into slices, sticks and then cubes of about a quarter inch; hold in cold water.

Taste the broth and add salt as needed before the potatoes go in.

Add the potatoes and cook about 15 minutes, until a potato mashes easily against the ladle; stir the butter on top back in rather than skimming it.

Give the soup eight to twelve strokes with a potato masher to release starch and thicken it, leaving plenty of chunks.

Season with cayenne and black pepper, adjust the salt, and add a little splash of cream; heat through for a few seconds.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh chives.