Potato Ham Soup

 Have left over Ham & an Instant Pot? Make this soup! It is SO good!

Ingredients 

• 1 Tbs Olive Oil
• 2 Tbs Butter
• 1 small sweet onion
• 2/3 cup celery, diced (about 2 stalks)
• 1 cup carrots, diced (about 2-3 medium)
• 3 cloves of garlic, pressed or minced
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp Coriander, ground
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp Thyme leaves, dried
• 1 tsp kosher salt (or 1/2 tsp table salt)
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 lbs Gold Potatoes, diced (no need to peel)
• 2 cups Ham, diced

To Finish

• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 1/2 cups half & half (or heavy cream or whole milk)

Optional

• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Garnish

• Green onions, chopped
• Italian Parsley, chopped

Instructions

1. Turn on Instant Pot Sauté function (Normal/Med heat). When the display reads "Hot" add the oilve oil and butter.
2. Add the onion, celery, and carrots. Cook until the vegetables start to soften, and the onions are starting to turn translucent.
3. Add the garlic. Sauté for a minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
4. Add the bay leaf, coriander powder, nutmeg, thyme, and salt. Stir
5. Pour in the broth and stir.
6. Add the potatoes and the ham. Stir.
7. Place the lid on the pot and lock it in place. Turn the steam and release knob to the sealing position.
8. Cancel the Sauté function.
9. Select Manual (or pressure cook) and use +/- buttons to choose 5 minutes. High pressure.
10. When the cooking cycle has finished, let the pot go into the natural release (warm) mode. You don't have to do anything, it will do this automatically.
11. After 15 minutes of Natural Pressure release, you can manually release the remaining pressure by turning the steam release knob to the venting position.
12. When the pressure is all out of the pot, and the pin in the lid has dropped, you can open the lid.
13. Whisk the flour into the half & half and then whisk it into the soup. Turn on the Sauté setting and keep stirring unti the soup thickens. Then cancel the sauté setting.
14. Stir in the cheese, if using.
15. Add the sour cream, if using, and stir.
16. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.
17. Garnish as desired and serve.