The gimmick that keeps this recipe in my book is the technique that produces substantial, creamy soup without relying solely on a tanker-truckload of milkfat, in the form of heavy cream.
If you’re skeptical, here’s a can’t-lose proposition: Add some at the end, if it’s not substantial enough. Once the pulverized potato starch blooms in broth, the resulting potage has more heft than possible by concentrated cow alone.
Hold the ham, and this makes another vegan broth for your files, since it’s animal agnostic.