Easy Carrot Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• 2 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper, optional
• 4 tablespoons heavy cream, divided
• Paprika
• Fresh chives, minced
• 8 slices baguette, sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated

Directions

1. Set your oven for the Cheesy Toast Toppers to 400 degrees F. In a large pot set over medium heat, melt the butter with the onions. Let them cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the onions look translucent, keeping them from browning. Add a pinch of salt.
2. Stir in the carrots, garlic, and dried thyme. Give it 30 seconds, just long enough for the garlic to smell fragrant.
3. Pour in the stock and bring everything to a simmer. Cover the pot and let it bubble gently for 15 minutes, until the carrots are very tender.
4. While the soup simmers, arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet and drizzle them with olive oil. Scatter the finely grated Parmesan generously over the top.
5. Slide the pan into the 400 degrees F oven and bake until the toast edges are browned and the Parmesan is turning lightly tan around the sides, about 10 to 12 minutes. Take the toasts out and keep them nearby.
6. Once the carrots are tender, blend the soup in the pot with an immersion blender until it is smooth.
7. No immersion blender, no problem. Take the soup off the heat and let it cool until it is no longer steaming hot, then puree it in batches in a standard blender and pour it back into the pot. Warm the blended soup again over low heat, then season with salt and white pepper, if you are using it.
8. Ladle the soup into bowls, then swirl about a tablespoon of heavy cream into each bowl. Finish with paprika and fresh minced chives, and tuck in a cheesy toast dipper.
9. For leftovers, refrigerate the soup for 5 days, or move it into freezer-safe ziptop plastic bags and freeze it for up to 6 months. Rewarm the soup gently on the stovetop over low heat.
10. If cream has already been added, do not freeze the soup, since it will most likely separate. The flavor may still be fine after reheating, but the texture is better if you freeze the soup without cream and stir in fresh cream later.