Winter Blended Vegetable Soup: Silky

Instructions:

1. Heat 2 tbsp butter in your pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, sliced leeks, and chopped celery. Cook for 6-8 minutes until they look translucent and soft. Note: Don't let them brown too much, or the soup will lose its golden color.
2. Stir in the minced garlic and dried thyme. Cook for 1 minute more until the garlic smells fragrant. Note: Garlic burns quickly, so keep it moving.
3. Toss in the chopped carrots, parsnips, and cubed potatoes. Stir them around for a minute to coat every piece in that butter.
4. Pour in the 6 cups of vegetable broth and drop in the bay leaf. Bring the liquid to a boil, then immediately turn the heat down to a simmer.
5. Cover the pot and cook for 20-25 minutes until the root vegetables are tender enough to be crushed with a fork. Note: If the carrots are still firm, the soup will feel grainy after blending.
6. Remove the bay leaf and discard it. Carefully transfer the soup to your blender in batches. Note: Never fill a blender to the brim with hot liquid, or the lid will fly off.
7. Blend on high for 60 seconds until the mixture is completely smooth and velvety.
8. Pour the soup back into the pot. Stir in the lemon juice, salt, and black pepper.
9. Taste it. If it feels a bit flat, add another squeeze of lemon.