Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 stick)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup coarsely chopped leeks
- 1 1/2 cups peeled, coarsely chopped ripe pear
- 4 cups coarsely chopped celery
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried thyme leaves)
- 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 3 cups water
Directions:
- In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter until foaming. Add olive oil, shallots, and pear, season well with salt and ground white pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add celery and thyme, season with more salt and pepper, and sweat until most of the liquid has evaporated and the celery has just started to soften, about 12 minutes.
- Add broth and water, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and simmer until celery is tender, about 10 minutes.
- Using a blender, purée soup in batches until smooth. Return soup to the stove to reheat. Season well with salt and pepper.