Potato Poblano Soup

 

Just a quick, easy recipe, dialed in a bit more thoroughly. The directions look long, but it's quite simple.
Shoutouts to Walter Carranza, wherever you are. This was largely his brainchild many years ago as a way to use up leftover mashed potatoes, but it's just as easy from scratch.

Ingredients:
1# Russet Potatoes
4oz Unsalted Butter, melted
4 Poblano Chiles
Neutral Oil
6oz Sharp (ideally smoked) Cheddar Cheese, grated
1qt Whole Milk
Water
Vinegar
Salt
Garnish (Sliced Jalapeno? Scallion/chive? Cheddar? Crumbled chips? Roasted garlic?)

Equipment:
Stove, Oven, Medium pot, Silicon/rubber spatula, Potato masher (or similar tool), Immersion blender (or powerful standard blender), Fine strainer, Medium bowl, Sheet tray, Aluminum foil, Vegetable peeler, Box grater, Cutting board, Knife.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400F/200C. Fill the medium pot halfway with cold water, and salt it aggressively, as though cooking pasta.
Peel the Russet Potatoes, cut them into relatively uniform 1-2" pieces, and place them in the salted water.
Place the pot on the stove and start heating on medium. Bring to a simmer and cook through.
While the potatoes cook, line the sheet pan with foil. Split the poblanos in half vertically, removing the seeds and pith from the inside, as well as the stems.
Oil the halved peppers gently, season with salt, then place on the foil-lined tray skin-side up.
Put the tray in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, or until the skin has colored and visibly pulled away from the flesh of the chiles.
Once the potatoes are cooked, drain them and allow to dry/cool slightly in the strainer.
Melt the butter over low heat in the pot used to cook the potatoes, then remove from heat.
Remove chiles from the oven when adequately roasted, place in the medium bowl and cover tightly with foil. Allow to steam for 10 minutes.
While waiting for the chiles to finish and the potatoes to cool slightly, grate the cheddar cheese.
Remove and discard the skins from the roasted poblanos, then finely chop what remains.
Return the potatoes to the pot with the melted butter. Mash coarsely and season.
Over medium heat, add the milk to the potatoes, stirring gently to ensure the potatoes start to disintegrate.
Add the poblanos, then blend the mixture till smooth.
Remove from heat, strain into the bowl, add the grated cheese, and stir till evenly melted in. 
If there is significant mass caught in the strainer, return that to the pot, then blend and strain it again to ensure as little waste as possible.
Season with salt, a teaspoon or two of vinegar, and possibly a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce.
Enjoy.