Charred Onion And Fennel Soup Recipes

FENNEL SOUP GRATIN

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the fennel, onions, and thyme and saute for 20 to 25 minutes, until the onions and fennel are very tender and caramelized. (You can add a little water if it starts to stick.) Deglaze the pan by adding the brandy; reduce the heat to medium and cook for 3 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan. Add the sherry and white wine and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock, salt, and pepper and continue to cook, uncovered, for another 15 minutes. Add the Pernod and cook for 5 more minutes. Check for salt and pepper.
• Preheat the broiler.
• Ladle the soup into 6 to 8 ovenproof bowls and place 1 or 2 slices of French bread and a handful of Gruyère cheese on top of each bowl. Place the bowls on a baking sheet and slide them under the broiler for 3 minutes, or until the cheese is brown and bubbly, and serve.

CHARRED ONION AND FENNEL SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake bread until crisp and cheese begins to melt, about 15 minutes. Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and fennel; sauté until deep brown around edges, about 10 minutes. Stir in broth and thyme. Simmer, uncovered, until onion and fennel are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in liqueur, if desired; simmer 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls; place 1 slice bread atop each.

CREAM OF FENNEL SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat and cook onion until soft and translucent. Whisk in flour and stir until a paste forms, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk water and vegetable bouillon into the saucepan. Add fennel and bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until fennel is soft, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Puree soup with an immersion blender. Stir in cream. If soup is too thick, add more water as needed. Season with salt and pepper.
• Chop fennel fronds. Divide soup between 4 bowls and sprinkle with fennel fronds.

FENNEL SOUP

Steps:

• Heat a nonstick pot over low heat. Add the onion, leeks, thyme, salt, pepper and 1/4 cup of the broth, cover the pan and cook over low heat until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the fennel, cover, and continue to cook until the fennel is tender, about 15 minutes. Add the remaining chicken stock and bring it to a boil. Cover, lower the heat and simmer gently for 25 minutes.
• Puree the soup in a blender until smooth. Strain it through a fine-mesh strainer. Return any of the puree that does not pass through the sieve to the blender, puree again and re-strain, repeating until all the soup has been used. The soup can be refrigerated at this point for up to 3 days.
• Just before serving, slowly bring the soup to a simmer, remove from the heat and whisk in the milk. Ladle into bowls. The soup can be garnished simply with the reserved fennel tops and chopped parsley. For a more festive -- and flavorful -- dish, add a dollop of red-pepper mousse.

CELERY FENNEL SOUP

Steps:

• In large covered saucepan simmer potatoes in chicken broth and wine until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in large skillet over medium heat, sauté celery, fennel slices, and onion in olive oil until tender, about 15 minutes.
• Mash potatoes right in the broth mixture in the saucepan with a masher.
• Stir in celery-fennel mixture. Heat through. Season with pepper and salt.
• Chop reserved fennel tops and use to garnish each serving.