Canal House Carrot Soup (v)

Ingredients

• 1 lb carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
• 6 C vegetable stock
• 4 tbs butter
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Wide strips of peel from ½ lemon
• 2 bay leaves

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add the carrot, potato, lemon peel, bay leaves and 5 cups of the chicken stock. Cover the pot and cook until the vegetables are very soft, 30 to 45 minutes.
3. Discard the bay leaves. Working in small batches, puree the soup in a blender or food processor until very smooth. Add some of the remaining 1 cup of stock if the soup is too thick.
4. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot or cold, garnished with a dollop of sour cream and finely chopped scallions or fresh chives, if you like.

Chef's Notes

• This is a vegetarian recipe, vegan if the butter is replaced with a plant-based alternative