Green Pea Soup

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 medium leek, root trimmed, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced (white and green parts only)

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed

2 1/2 cups homemade vegetable broth or 1 cup low-sodium store-bought vegetable broth mixed with 1 1/2 cups water

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed

3 cups shelled fresh peas (from about 2 1/2 pounds of peas in their pods) or 1 (16-ounce) package frozen peas, thawed

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more as needed

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until foaming. Add the leek, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and a pinch of pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes.

Add the broth, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and measured pepper and bring to a boil. Add the peas and bring to a boil again. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the peas are tender, about 5 minutes.

Remove the pan from heat, add the mint leaves, and stir to combine. Let sit uncovered until the flavors meld, about 10 minutes.

Using a blender, purée the soup in batches until smooth, removing the small cap from the blender lid (the pour lid) and covering the space with a kitchen towel (this allows steam to escape and prevents the lid from popping off). Transfer the soup to a clean saucepan (if serving warm) or a heatproof bowl and stir in the lemon juice. Taste and season with more salt, pepper, and lemon juice as needed.