Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp (30g) Unsalted Butter
  • 1 cup (150g) Yellow Onion, finely diced
  • 1/2 cup (60g) Celery, finely diced
  • 1/2 cup (60g) Carrot, finely diced
  • 1 tsp (5ml) Dried Thyme
  • 1/4 cup (30g) All-Purpose (Plain) Flour
  • 4 cups (950ml) Low-Sodium Chicken Stock or Ham Stock
  • 2 cups (475ml) Whole Milk
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) Heavy Cream (Double Cream)
  • 3 large (about 700g) Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch (1.2 cm) cubes
  • 1 1/2 cups (240g) Cooked Ham, diced
  • 1/2 tsp (2.5g) Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • Kosher Salt (To taste)
  • 2 Tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions:

  1. Prep and Sauté: Dice all vegetables and ham. Melt the butter in the stock pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, celery, and carrot (the Mirepoix) along with the dried thyme. Sauté gently for 6-8 minutes until the vegetables are soft and translucent, but not brown.
  2. Make the Roux: Sprinkle the flour over the softened vegetables. Cook, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon or spatula, for 2 minutes. This cooks out the raw flour flavour. The mixture will look thick and pasty.
  3. Add Stock: Gradually whisk in the chicken or ham stock, a cup at a time, ensuring all lumps are fully dissolved before adding the next batch. Increase the heat to bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
  4. Add Dairy and Potatoes: Stir in the whole milk and the diced potatoes. Bring the soup back up to a gentle simmer. Do not boil rapidly.
  5. Cook Potatoes: Reduce heat to low, cover the pot partially, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are completely tender when pierced with a fork. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
  6. Incorporate Ham: Stir in the diced cooked ham. Simmer for another 5 minutes just to heat the ham through and allow its smoky flavour to meld into the broth.
  7. Adjust Consistency (Optional): For a slightly creamier texture, use an immersion blender to pulse the soup 3–4 times, slightly pureeing about 1/4 of the potatoes. Alternatively, mash a handful of potatoes against the side of the pot.
  8. Finish with Cream: Take the soup off the heat and stir in the heavy cream.
  9. Final Seasoning: Taste the soup. Because ham and stock vary wildly in salt content, only now should you add salt and pepper as needed. You want it well seasoned, but not overly salty.
  10. Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish generously with fresh parsley, and serve immediately.