Potato Soup with Smoked Salmon Relish

Melt the butter in a 6-quart stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and celery . Season with salt, cayenne, and black pepper, stirring, until the vegetables are soft and lightly golden, about 8 minutes. Add the bay leaf and garlic , stirring for 2 minutes. Add the stock and potatoes and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, until the potatoes are very soft and the mixture is thick and creamy, about 1 hour. Remove the soup from the heat. Discard the bay leaf. With a hand-held blender , puree until smooth. Slowly add the cream. Stir to blend. Reseason the soup. In a small mixing bowl, combine the salmon, red onions and chives. Drizzle the relish with enough oil to moisten . Season the relish with black pepper. To serve, ladle the soup into individual bowls. Garnish the soup with the relish.