Summer Squash Lemon Thyme Soup

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large sweet onions, chopped
• 1 leek, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 6 summer squash, trimmed and coarsely chopped (about three pounds)
• 4 sprigs lemon thyme, plus fresh sprigs for garnish (or 4 sprigs of thyme and 2 strips of lemon peel)
• 5 cups sodium-free chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 -4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• hot pepper sauce
• parmesan cheese (to garnish)
• pine nuts (to garnish)
• lemon, zest of (to garnish)

Recipe

• 1 in a 4-quart dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
• 2 add the onions, leek and garlic and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes or until onions are soft.
• 3 add the squash and lemon thyme and cook, stirring for 5 minutes.
• 4 increase to medium high heat; add the chicken broth and salt.
• 5 cook, partially covered, at a low boil for 20 minutes or until the squash is soft.
• 6 discard the thyme.
• 7 puree the soup in batches in a covered blender, then return to the dutch oven and heat through.
• 8 add the lemon juice and hot pepper sauce to taste.
• 9 garnish the soup with shaved parmesan, pine nuts, thyme sprigs and lemon zest.
• 10 serve hot.