Creamy Fennel And Leek Soup Recipes

Steps:

• In a large saucepan or soup kettle over medium-low heat, place the olive oil, leeks, celery, onions, fennel, potatoes, salt, and pepper, and cook and stir until the onions are translucent and the vegetables have begun to soften, about 10 minutes.
• Pour 8 cups of water over the vegetables, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and drop in the vegetable bouillon cubes. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the cubes, until the vegetables are tender and the potatoes have begun to thicken the soup, about 30 minutes.

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a large, deep (preferably non-stick) sauté pan, over a medium heat, add the sliced fennel (NOT the strips of fennel), sliced leek and finely chopped garlic, and sauté, while stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until the fennel, leeks and garlic are beginning to soften.
• Remove from the heat, and set aside.
• In a large pot, heat the stock, add the rosemary sprigs, thyme and nutmeg and bring to the boil.
• Simmer over a low heat for about 15 minutes.
• Remove the rosemary sprigs.
• Add the fennel, leek and garlic mixture to the pot, and stir to combine all the ingredients.
• Set the pan in which the fennel, leek and garlic were sautéed aside, for re-use later.
• Allow the soup to cool slightly (10 minutes cooling time should be ample), then blend it in batches in a blender or food processor until smooth.
• As each batch is blended, pour the blended soup into another pot or pan, perhaps the deep pan used earlier to sauté the fennel, leeks and garlic.
• Once all of the soup has been blended, stir it to ensure that it is of an even consistency (inevitably some batches were probably thinner than others).
• Stir the sour cream and the 1/4 cup of parmesan into the soup.
• Reheat the soup over a medium heat until it is hot, but do not allow it to come to the boil.
• Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Turn off the heat and leave the soup covered so that it stays warm.
• In a small non-stick pan, heat the oil, and sauté the extra leek for 2-3 minutes, or until softened but not browned.
• Ladle the soup into warm soup bowls and top with the sautéed leek.
• Garnish with the extra parmesan and sour cream, and serve immediately with warm crusty rolls.
• Chef's Note: Since posting this recipe, and since last making this soup, I have found and posted a fabulous recipe for vegetable, quite unlike others I have used in the past: Vegetable Stock Recipe #135453.

Steps:

• Combine star anise, cardamom pods, and coriander seeds in a large skillet over medium heat and roast without burning until fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a mortar and pestle, and crush into powder form.
• Heat olive oil in a large pot and cook fennel, onion, and leek until softened, about 5 minutes. Season with ground spice mix and salt, cover, and simmer over medium heat until flavors are well combined, about 25 minutes. Pour in white wine and cook until wine has reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in vegetable broth and simmer for 10 minutes. Puree fennel soup with an immersion blender until smooth. Add cream and heat, but do not let boil. Season with salt.

Steps:

• Butter a casserole dish and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 190C/375°F.
• Parboil the veggies for 5-10 minutes until tender crisp.
• In the meantime, combine all the ingredients for the cream sauce in a small saucepan. Heat over medium low heat until very hot, but not boiling, about 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
• Drain the veggies well and spread over the bottom of the casserole dish.
• Pour cream sauce over veggies. Stir around lightly to incorporate the sauce throughout.
• Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over veggies.
• Bake for 20-30 minutes until bubbly and top top is golden brown.
• Allow to sit 5 minutes prior to serving.

Steps:

• Place leeks in a large bowl of cold water; stir, and let stand 5 minutes to let dirt and sand settle to the bottom. You may need to repeat several times, changing the water each time. Once they are free of grit, transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and fennel seeds along with the salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add garlic; cook until fragrant but not brown, about 2 minutes.
• Add leeks and fennel to pan, and cook until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add chicken stock and the water, and bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes more.
• Remove from heat, and let cool slightly. Working in several batches, transfer soup to the jar of a blender, being careful not to fill more than halfway and to cover lid with a kitchen towel, as hot liquid will expand when blended. Puree until smooth. Transfer to an airtight container, and place in refrigerator to chill completely, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• To serve, stir in Pernod, if using, and season with salt and pepper. Ladle into soup bowls, and garnish with chervil.

Steps:

• Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add leeks and fennel and sauté until leeks are translucent, about 7 minutes. Add broth and potatoes and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer soup until potatoes are very tender, about 25 minutes. Working in batches, purée soup in blender. Return to same pot. Rewarm soup if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls; garnish with reserved fennel fronds and serve.

Steps:

• Vegetables -- To a large pot, add the olive oil and butter and bring to medium heat. Add the garlic, then the leeks and fennel, onion slowly cook on medium heat until lightly golden brown, but not dark brown. Just a slow caramelizing works best for this.
• Potatoes -- Add the potatoes and mix just to combine the flavors. Add the herbs and seasoning, (rosemary, thyme, parsley -- reserving some for a garnish, salt and pepper and nutmeg). Cook 5 minutes.
• Sauce -- Add the sherry, to deglaze the pan slightly, then the chicken broth and mix well. Cook 30 minutes on a low simmer until the potatoes fall apart.
• My trick -- Instant potato flakes. Rather than corn starch in soups to thicken -- I love potato flakes. Just add them in, nothing more. A instant light thickening with some taste. I like to add 1/4-1/2 cup. Just add to the broth and it will slightly thicken without a fake corn starch or flour taste.
• Finish -- Add the heavy cream to finish it off. Just heat and season with any salt and pepper to taste.
• If you want and I love these -- balsamic mushrooms, just toss in a baggie, the mushrooms, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Add to a cookie sheet topped with foil and roast at 450 for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Just slice and then top the soup.
• Well worth making it. A bowl of this, a salad, a fresh tomato panini anything. So good and comforting.