Simple Potato Soup

This is my first entry to "Inscrutables", and it is my regular home made soup, this is my entry for the "meal prep" contest.

A simple soup is the best thing for these winter days, but can be used for the starters in a 3/4 course meal. This is a soup that I made up from what I had left in my kitchen, and thought I share for you all. The beauty of this soup is that you do not need much equipment, it can be cooked in a single pot.

Equipment needed:
A vegetable knife and chopping - for slicing and dicing the vegetables.
A large pot - for cooking.
A cup for vegetable stock.
A kettle to heat the water for stock.
A hand-blender to make blending easy on the hand, if not, a potato masher does a great job with some elbow grease.

Ingredients:

1. Onions x 2 ( or Shallots x 4)
2. Cloves of Garlic (2 minimum)
3. Celeriac (optional, I had left over)
4. Leek (optional, I used what I had)
5. Butter for the pot
6. Carrots (3-4)
7. Potato (around 500-1000 grams at least)
8. White Wine (a dash)
9. Balsamic Vinegar (all types except malt-vinegar will do)
   
10. Vegetable Stock (two separate cups worth)
11. Seasoning (personal choice): Oregano, Basil, Chervil, Black Pepper, Nutmeg, Curry and Bay Leaves

1. Turn the hob on to a medium heat.
2. Heat the butter in the pot.
3. Meanwhile, dice the onions, garlic, celeriac and leek.
4. Sweeten these vegetables in the pot.
5. Meanwhile, dice the carrot and potato. Big or Small doesn't matter.

1. Add in a dash of vinegar and wine.
2. Make up a cup of vegetable stock according to instructions.
3. Add in Seasoning: 1/2 tsp Oregano, 1/2 tsp Basil, 1/2 tsp Chervil, To taste Black Pepper, 1/6 tspNutmeg, 1/2 tsp Curry and 2 xBay Leaves
4. Mix the vegetables and seasoning together.
5. Let simmer for 5 minutes (Make it 10 minutes for those without the electric blenders)

1. Use the electric hand-blender or other tool to breakup the vegetables.
2. You can keep it chunky, or make it thin by how much effort you put into blending.
   My preference is chunky.
   
3. Additional note: If you like to add left over meats, or cooked vegetables this is the point to do so. I like to put in left over chunks of pork or chicken here.
4. Add in the second cup of vegetable stock or more if you need to thin it out some more.
5. Let simmer on the hop at a) low heat (10 minutes minimum) or b) medium heat (5 minutes minimum),
   If you think your soups a little too thin put on medium heat and boil off the reaming fluid.
   I normal have my soup on low heat for 45 minutes stirring regularly.
6. Put in a bowl and enjoy with some crusty bread.