|
Updated Feb 18th, 2010
 Cooking
with Kristine Clark
Fennel, Leek and Potato Soup
This really is soup weather. I
love it. Several years ago this
month, chef Paolo Sacca sent me
several dynamite soup recipes, and
each one sounded intriguing.
 My preferences aside, I knew
better than to try the Cauliflower
and Roasted Red Pepper Chowder
first, though. Cauliflower is right
up there with broccoli and Brussels
sprouts on Scott’s “no hit” parade.
Roasted Garlic and Brie Soup
sounded rich and wonderful, but I
decided to save that one for a company
dinner. Fennel, Leek and
Potato Soup was a recipe that
begged to be made right away.
Fennel is such a great vegetable. It’s crisp and crunchy and
tastes like celery with a punch of
licorice. Leeks, a member of the
onion family, have great flavor, too.
You just have to be careful to thoroughly
wash them — lots of dirt
and sand hides in all those layers.
Potatoes give this soup a lot of body
and its velvety texture.
Fennel, Leek and Potato Soup is
very creamy-tasting, yet there is no
cream in it at all. And it is so satisfying.
Garnishing with fresh thyme
gives it an aromatic finish.
Paolo suggested using a handheld
blender to puree the soup.
Great idea. Using what celebrity
chef Emeril Lagasse calls a “boat
motor” is a very quick and easy
way to get the soup as smooth as
you like. Another benefit of using it
is the ease of clean up. There are no
food processor parts to deal with
and the whole recipe is prepared in
one pot. Love that!
If you haven’t had much occasion
to cook with fennel or leeks
before, Fennel, Leek and Potato
Soup will be a delicious introduction.
It is a perfect cold-weather
offering that you’ll surely want to
add to your list of favorite foods for
soup weather.
Fennel, Leek and Potato Soup
Ingredients:
-
2 tablespoons butter
-
2 tablespoons olive oil
-
2 cups chopped fennel bulb (about three fennel bulbs)
-
3 leeks, trimmed, washed and thinly sliced (pale green part only)
-
2 large baking potatoes cut into one-inch cubes
-
4 cups chicken broth
-
¼ teaspoon fennel seeds
-
Salt and black pepper to taste
-
Fresh thyme
 Directions:
1. Melt butter in a stockpot over medium-high heat and add oil.
Add chopped fennel bulbs and leeks. Stir to coat. Sauté until vegetables
are tender. Add potato, broth, fennel seeds, salt and pepper to taste and
bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes
are tender.
2. Puree soup with the help of a hand-held blender until smooth.
Simmer for five minutes, adjust seasoning and serve with a sprinkle of
fresh thyme. Serves six.
|
Do you have a favorite recipe that you would like to
share with our readers?
If so, please write to Kristine at:
Outlook Newspaper, P.O. Box 578,
La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91012
or e-mail it to:
outlooknews@earthlink.net |
|
