Lemon Fennel Soup With Garlic Croutons Recipes

FENNEL, GARLIC AND POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add the onion, celery, chopped fennel and a generous pinch of salt. Cook gently for about 5 to 8 minutes, until the vegetables have softened and lost some of their volume. Add the potatoes, garlic, bouquet garni and the water or stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, add salt to taste, cover and simmer 45 minutes.
• Remove the bouquet garni. Blend the soup until smooth with an immersion blender, or ladle into a blender, working in 1 1/2-cup batches. Remove the center from the blender cover, place a towel over the cover and pull it down tightly to prevent splashing. Blend and return to the pot. Heat through, add salt and pepper to taste and serve, or chill and serve cold, with your choice of garnishes.

LEMON FENNEL SOUP WITH GARLIC CROUTONS

Steps:

• Melt half the butter in a saucepan and sauté the shallots until translucent.
• Add the fennel.
• Season with salt and pepper to your taste. Cover the pan and sweat the fennel for 10 minutes, until softened.
• Add the stock and bring to a boil.
• Simmer for 20 minutes.
• Remove from heat and carefully puree the soup in a food processor or with a hand-held blender.
• Return to the saucepan, and thin with milk to the desired consistency, I use about 1 1/2 cups, use more if you like it thinner. Heat through.
• Meanwhile, cut the bread into 1/2 inch cubes.
• Melt the remaining butter in a frying pan, and sauté the bread cubes with the garlic and lemon zest, until golden and toasted.
• Remove the soup from the heat.
• Stir in the lemon juice, and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
• Divide the soup between individual bowls.
• Garnish with the croutons and chopped parsley.