olive oil • medium onion, chopped • leek, white and light green part only, cleaned and sliced • Salt to taste • carrots, peeled and diced • parsnips, peeled, quartered, cored and diced • Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced • water, chicken stock, or vegetable stock • bay leaf and a couple of sprigs each tarragon, thyme and parsley • Freshly ground pepper to taste • Cayenne pepper, to taste • finely chopped tarragon •