Here’s a delicious seasonal soup we found, written by Kipu –
“Fennel is a versatile vegetable that plays an important role in the food culture of many European nations, especially in France and Italy. Its esteemed reputation dates back to the earliest times and is reflected in its mythological traditions. Greek myths state that fennel was not only closely associated with Dionysus, the Greek god of food and wine, but that a fennel stalk carried the coal that passed down knowledge from the gods to men.” ~ Worlds Healthiest Foods
Ingredients:
- 5 carrots, cleaned and cut into 2 inch sticks
- 1 fennel bulb, sliced
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme, stems removed)
- 5-6 garlic cloves in their skin
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- salt and pepper
- 1 quart (4 cups) stock (veggie or chicken)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Toss carrots, fennel and onion with olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper. Spread in a roasting dish. Sprinkle with thyme and roast about 15 minutes.
Add garlic in skins and toss vegetables making sure to coat the garlic with oil. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Roast another 20 minutes more or until veggies are beginning to brown. Remove from oven. Remove skins from garlic.
Bring broth to a simmer in a soup pot. Add roasted veggies to soup broth. Using an immersible hand blender, blend soup into a puree. Use water to thin. (If you don’t have an immersible hand blender – use a regular blender.)
Taste the pureed soup, add salt and pepper to taste.
Fennel Oil
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Toast the fennel seeds until they become fragrant (1-2 minutes). Grind the seeds and add to the oil. This can be made a couple days before the soup – keeping it at room temp.
To serve, drizzle over the hot soup.
NOTE: If cooking for one – simply let soup cool and freeze in single portion sizes in freezer bags.
