Potato Soup

Total time: 60 minutes
   A soup with as many variations as there are cooks:  some like it puréed, some thicken it with flour; some like it thick, some thin; some use carrots, some wouldn't think of it.   This is mine.... at least, today's version.

 Ingredients:

• 4 medium potatoes
• 4 medium carrots
• 3 ribs celery
• 1 1/2 onion
• 1 tbs butter
• 6oz (180gr) ham,  preferably dry-cured, such as Prosciutto
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp Herbes de Provence
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups milk, cream, or a combination

 Instructions:

• Roughly chop onion.
• Peel carrots.  Slice by cutting in half the long way (in 2 or more sections) then into half circles.
• Peel and slice potatoes to a similar size.
• Slice celery, cutting the wide end in half lengthwise.
• Cut ham into small pieces.
• Melt butter in small soup pot or large saucepan. Add onion and sauté until it starts to get tender, about 5 minutes.
• Add celery and sauté 5 minutes longer.
• Add ham and sauté briefly.
• Add carrots, potatoes, herbs and water.
• Cover and cook until vegetables are tender, 30 - 40 minutes.
• To finish: remove bay leaves.
• Add milk and heat through. Serve.

Note:  You could substitute cream for some or all of the milk for a richer soup.