If you have A Platter of Figs you probably have some idea of the good things in store for you in David Tanis new (released in 2010) cookbook Heart of the Artichoke: and other kitchen journeys. A bit of chopping, few fresh vegetables, little heating, bit of blending, and voila a beautiful and inspiring meal. Oh, and while this is one of those soups that is extra special when warm…is also very good on a warm day served cool. We enjoyed a few of our cheddar flavored blocks with this soup. A bit of crusty bread might be nice too. Enjoy!
Fennel Soup with a Green Swirl from David Tanis book Heart of the Artichoke
Ingredients:
For the soup:
1/4 cup olive oil
3 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed and sliced
1 large onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup long-grain white rice (we used brown rice, because that is what we had on hand, and the end result was delicious)
6 cups chicken broth or water, or as needed
For the swirl:
1 cup roughly chopped fennel fronds
1/2 cup parsley leaves
1/4 cup basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced fennel, onion, and garlic. Season generously with salt and pepper, and stew the vegetables, stirring every few minutes, until they are softened and light colored.
Add the rice and broth or water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Taste the broth, add more seasoning if necessary, and simmer for 20 minutes.
Puree the soup in a blender (we recommend a food processor instead), then pass through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any fibrous strands (we did not do this and there were no strands). Return the strained soup to the pot. Check the consistency. It it’s too thick, add a bit of water or broth.
Rinse and dry the blender, and put all the ingredients for the swirl into the blender at once. Blend on high speed until you have a smooth green puree. Transfer to a small bowl.
To serve, reheat the soup and ladle it into soup bowls. Swirl a tablespoon of the green puree into each bowl.
We paired with Galaxy’s Vegan Cheddar Block, Rice Cheddar Block, and Veggie Cheddar Block.
