Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.
In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.
Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.
Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/ gas 7 and put 500g chunked sweet potatoes and 300g chunked carrots into a large roasting tin, drizzled with 2 tbsp olive oil and plenty of seasoning.
Roast the vegetables in the oven for 25-30 mins or until caramelised and tender.
Meanwhile, put the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a large deep saucepan and fry 2 finely chopped onions over a medium-low heat for about 10 mins until softened.
Add 2 crushed garlic cloves and stir for 1 min before adding 1l vegetable stock. Simmer for 5-10 mins until the onions are very soft, then set aside.
Once the roasted vegetables are done, leave to cool a little, then transfer to the saucepan and use a hand blender to process until smooth. Stir in 100ml crème fraîche, a little more seasoning and reheat until hot.
Serve in bowls topped with a swirl of crème fraîche and a good grinding of black pepper.
8 ounces white mushrooms, stems trimmed and thinly sliced
1 medium yellow onion, small dice
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt
1 medium carrot, peeled and small dice
1 medium celery stalk, small dice
1 medium russet potato, peeled and medium dice
2 cups cooked wild rice
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 bay leaf
6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more as needed
Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat until foaming. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 5 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate; set aside.
Add the mushrooms to the saucepan, stir to coat in the bacon fat, and cook over medium heat, stirring rarely, until they begin to brown and the liquid they give off evaporates, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl; set aside.
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the saucepan over medium heat until foaming. Add the onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened, about 3 minutes. Add the carrot, celery, and potato, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Cover with a tightfitting lid and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender, about 7 minutes.
Add the rice and thyme to the saucepan and stir to combine. Sprinkle the mixture with the flour. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the flour is no longer raw-tasting and a film of cooked flour coats the bottom of the pan, about 2 minutes.
Add the reserved mushrooms, bay leaf, and broth and stir to combine. Increase the heat to medium high and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the vegetables are cooked through, about 15 minutes.
Uncover the saucepan, stir in the half-and-half and the measured pepper, and let the chowder simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and the flavors have combined, about 10 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice, taste, and season with more salt, pepper, and lemon juice as needed. Remove the bay leaf and serve garnished with the reserved bacon.
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When foaming subsides, add onion, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add sherry and cook until alcohol smell has dissipated, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add garlic, thyme leaves, and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are shrunken and nearly covered in liquid, about 20 minutes. Add broth or water and cook until flavors have melded, about 30 minutes.
Process soup in a blender until smooth (you may have to do this in batches), then return to the pot over low heat. Add cream and bring to a simmer. Add lemon juice and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Heat the broiler, top baguette slices with 1 to 2 teaspoons blue cheese each, and place on a baking sheet. Broil until cheese is bubbly and toast is crisp, about 1 to 2 minutes. Float 2 to 3 toasts in each bowl and serve.
Warm 2 cups of the chicken broth. Put the porcini into a heatproof bowl, add the warm stock, and let stand for 20 minutes. Transfer the porcini to a cutting board and chop. Strain the broth into a bowl and set aside.
In a large wide pot or deep sauté pan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the shallots and a pinch of salt and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the porcini and cremini mushrooms and the garlic and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes.
Add the sherry and simmer for 1 minute. Stir in the flour. Slowly add the mushroom soaking liquid and the remaining 2 cups stock, stirring until combined. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes. Add the cream.
Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender until smooth, then return the soup to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Re-warm over low heat until warm, then serve.
