Sauté onions, celery, garlic and parsnips on medium heat in a sauce pan until soft. Do not let them brown too much, just caramelize nicely. Add the chicken stock and the potatoes and allow to cook just under a simmer for at least 30 minutes. The potato will help to thicken the soup without having to add flour or oil. If it is not thick enough, use a slurry of equal parts oil and flour to thicken, but it should not be necessary. Purée with a hand mixer or in a blender. If using a blender, do not put all in at once. The hot liquid will expand and come out the top making a big mess and possibly burning you. Once puréed, pour through a strainer, add thyme and season to taste with salt and pepper.

This soup can also be made with vegetable stock instead of chicken stock and finished with heavy cream—about 250 ml (1 cup). In this case, a phyllo purse baked with brie cheese also compliments the soup and makes for a nice garnish. Bake the purse and put in the middle of the soup in the bowl.