Creamy Fennel White Bean Soup Recipes

WHITE BEAN FENNEL SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, saute onion and fennel in oil until tender. Add the broth, beans, tomatoes, thyme, pepper and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until fennel is tender. , Discard bay leaf. Add spinach; cook 3-4 minutes longer or until spinach is wilted.

CREAMY WHITE BEAN AND FENNEL CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Trim the fennel. Cut it in half lengthwise and slice it crosswise, about 1/4-inch thick (reserve about 1/4 cup roughly chopped fennel fronds). Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium. Add the sliced fennel, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but still retaining a little bite, about 12 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pour 1 can white beans and its liquid into a blender. Add the heavy cream, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons olive oil and purée until smooth. Drain and rinse the remaining can of beans and transfer it to the skillet along with the bean purée. Season generously with salt and pepper.
• Mix the panko with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small bowl. Add the Parmesan, lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss to coat. Sprinkle evenly over the fennel-white bean mixture.
• Bake until bubbly and lightly golden on top, about 15 minutes. Broil until topping is browned in spots, 1 to 2 minutes, if desired. Top with reserved fennel fronds and serve.

"CREAMY" MUSHROOM SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the margarine in a soup pot, and add the onion. Sauté over medium heat until the onion is golden and soft.
• Transfer the onion to a food processor along with the tofu or cannellini beans. Process until smoothly pureed, add the vegetable broth, and process again briefly.
• In the same soup pot, combine the mushrooms with enough water to keep the bottom of the pot moist. Cover and steam the mushrooms until tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Transfer the mixture from the food processor back to the soup pot and stir to combine with the mushrooms. Add a little more water if too thick and heat slowly until heated through. Season with salt and pepper and serve. Or, if time allows, let the soup stand off the heat for an hour or so, then heat through as needed.
• "Creamy" Mushroom Soup (this page)
• Colcannon (page 186)
• or
• Roasted Potatoes with Bell Peppers and Onions (page 184)
• Bountiful tossed salad
• Steamed broccoli
• Calories: 87
• Total Fat: 4g
• Protein: 6g
• Carbohydrate: 6g
• Cholesterol: 0mg
• Sodium: 157mg