Fennel-based soup

[dcgator]

This one is very smooth and tasty

Carrot Fennel Soup Recipe at Epicurious.com

[Margi Cintrano]

@ DC Gator,

Lovely recipe ... apple cider and fennel ...

Thanks for posting, shall have to put it on the March List ...

Hasta luego.
Margi.

[dcgator]

This one is my favorite

Chestnut Fennel Soup Recipe at Epicurious.com

[HistoricFoodie]

Do you like seafood? If so, try this:

Fennel & Oyster Chowder

1 tbls butter or olive oil
1 large or 2 small fenel bulbs, prepped and sliced
1 large shallot, minced
2 fingerling potatoes sliced
1 cup chicken stock
2-3 tbls semi-sweet white wine
16 oysters, shucked
Liquor from the oysters
1 cup heavy cream
Salt & white pepper to taste
2 tbls diced slab bacon

Bring the stock up a simmer. Add the potatoes and cook until fork tender.

While potatoes cook, heat the butter or oil in a pan and caramelize the fennel and shallots in it. Season them with salt and pepper. Deglaze the pan with the wine and cook until liquid evaporates.

Transfer the fennel to a soup pot. Add the potatoes and remaining stock. Add the oysters and their liquor, and poach until plump. Pour in cream and reduce slightly until flavors have melded. Adjust seasoning.

Fry the bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels.

Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle each serving with a few of the bacon dice.

[Margi Cintrano]

This fennel is prepared as a Strata, which is very thick, not a soup, not a stew ... it is unique to Sardinia ... Lots of body, and lots of taste ... Lots of texture ... all you need is a good glass of wine ... and a great companion ...

Serves 4 with leftovers:

3 tblsps extra virgin olive oil
2 large fennel bulbs chopped ( 4 cups )
2 shallots or 2 leeks chopped or spring onion
5 cups of chicken stock or vegetable or fennel stock
The dill looking needles on the fennel - hold for garnish

16 ounces of rustic crusty bread or a baguette or Italian hero bread
( cut into 1/3 thick slices )

1 cup chopped sundried tomatoes packed in oil ( optional )

1 cup chopped proscuitto di parma ham or other Italian ham

1 cup grated pecorino or Reggiano parmesano or Padano

1) preheat oven to 350 farenheit degrees
2) heat oil in heavy large pot and add fennel & leek or shallots or spring onion
3) sauté until tender - 10 minutes
4) add the chicken stock or fennel stock and simmer until veggies are tender - 10 minutes
5) season broth and veggies with salt and pepper to taste
6) Layer like a lasagna, 1/4 bread slices in bottom of a glass baking casserole about 15 x 10 x 2 inches.
7) top with the stock, then 1/4 cup of sun dried tomatoes or ham and then 1/4 cup of pecorino or parmesano and repeat the layering 3 times
8) bake until the bread is very soft and most of the liquid is absorbed about 20 - 25 minutes
9) top with more pecorino ... and adjust seasoning ... sprinkle with the Dill Like Needles of the Fennel ...

*** This is normally served in Oliena, Sardinia where we were and of course I had asked for the recipe, loving fennel ... I make it for myself during the week quite often ...

Margi.

[Margi Cintrano]

@ Historic Foodie:

This sounds heavenly.

Thanx for post ... Plan to try this ... Have to check with Fish Monger Miguel on Oysters ... it is mussel season in Spain ...

Margi.