Chilled Fennel Soup Recipes

CHILLED FENNEL SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan. And the fennel seeds and fry for 30 seconds. Add the chopped fennel and leeks. Sauté over a medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until soft. Pour in the alcohol, raise the heat, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the water, half the thyme, the lemon strips, ¾ teaspoon salt, and a pinch of white pepper, and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Remove the lemon strips. Blend the soup with a hand-held blender. Leave to cool.
• Once cool, stir in the grated lemon zest, herbs, garlic, and yogurt. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and refrigerate.
• Remove the soup from the fridge 20 minutes before serving so that it's not too cold when you eat it.

CHILLED FENNEL AND CUCUMBER SOUP

Steps:

• Trim, quarter, core, and cut enough of the fennel bulbs into 1-inch pieces to yield about 6 cups. Reserve some of the fronds for garnish.
• In a 6- to 8-quart pot fitted with a steamer basket, bring about 1/2 inch of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Steam the fennel, covered, until very tender, about 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, peel the cucumbers, quarter lengthwise, and cut into 1-inch chunks to yield about 4 cups.
• In a blender, purée half of the cucumber, half of the fennel, 1/2 tsp. of the tarragon, 1-1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper until very smooth, about 2 minutes.
• Set a medium-mesh strainer over a large bowl and force the purée through it with a silicone spatula. Repeat with the remaining cucumber and fennel, 1/2 tsp. tarragon, 1-1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper.
• Whisk in the cream and the remaining 1 Tbs. tarragon. Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours.
• Just before serving, season the soup to taste with additional tarragon, salt, and pepper. Serve garnished with the reserved fennel fronds.

CHILLED FENNEL SOUP WITH BUTTERED WALNUTS

Steps:

• Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan and add fennel and onion. Saute until the vegetables start to soften, about 5 minutes or so.
• Add the stock, bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the veggies are completely soft, about 20 minutes.
• Puree the soup with an immersion blender (or in your food processor or blender) until smooth. At this point you can strain the soup through a fine mesh strainer if you want it completely smooth...if you like some texture then skip the straining part.
• Chill the soup in the fridge for at least a few hours and ideally overnight.
• When you are ready to serve, saute the walnuts in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter until they are starting to toast, about 5 minutes.
• Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with buttered walnuts, basil, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.

FENNEL SOUP

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the quartered fennel bulbs; cook and stir until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Pour in the broth, and simmer until fennel is tender, about 15 more minutes. Ladle into soup bowls, and season with salt and pepper.

CHILLED FENNEL SOUP

Steps:

• Place fennel in a 5-quart casserole with a tightly fitting lid. Toss with olive oil. Cook, covered, at 100 percent power in a high-power microwave oven for 32 minutes, stirring twice.
• Remove from oven and uncover. Immediately scrape mixture into a food processor. Process for several minutes, stopping from time to time to scrape sides of bowl, until mixture is very smooth.
• Add fromage blanc and process until smooth. Add lemon juice and 2 cups of the chicken broth and process until smooth.
• Scrape mixture into a large bowl. Whisk in remaining 2 cups chicken broth, salt and pepper.
• Refrigerate until cold. Coarsely chop 1/2 cup of the fennel tops and sprinkle some over each serving.

CHILLED FENNEL AND LEEK SOUP

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.

TOMATO FENNEL SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook and stir fennel, onion, celery, and garlic in the hot oil until tender, about 10 minutes.
• Pour tomatoes and chicken broth over vegetable mixture and simmer for 4 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and add basil and parsley. Cool soup slightly.
• Pour soup into a blender no more than half-full. Cover and hold lid down; pulse a few times before leaving on to blend. Puree in batches until smooth.

COLD FENNEL SOUP WITH LOBSTER

Steps:

• Remove the stalks and feathery leaves from the fennel bulbs. Mince two tablespoons of the leaves and set aside. Chop the bulbs. You should have about two cups of the chopped bulbs. If additional fennel is needed, chop some of the stalks. Discard any unused stalks.
• Heat the oil in a heavy four-quart saucepan. Add the onion and chopped fennel bulbs and cook slowly, covered, until they are soft and transparent.
• Add the stock, bring to a simmer, and stir in the potatoes and cumin. Simmer partly covered until the vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes.
• While the vegetables are simmering, steam the lobster for 10 minutes, allow it to cool briefly, then remove the meat from the tail and claws. Dice the meat and refrigerate it, covered, until ready to serve.
• When the vegetables are tender, allow them to cool briefly, then puree in a blender in batches. Puree the soup in a food processor, if you prefer. It will not be as smooth and will benefit from being forced through a fine sieve. Refrigerate the puree, covered, at least four hours or overnight.
• Before serving, stir the half and half into the puree, using as much as you need to give the soup a creamy, but not too thick, consistency. If calories are a concern, the soup can be thinned with water. Add the Pernod and season the soup with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into six shallow soup plates and spoon some of the lobster into the middle of each. Scatter the minced fennel leaves over the soup and serve.

CHILLED CELERY, WATERCRESS AND FENNEL SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add celery, onion, fennel, garlic and ginger. Cover pot. Cook until vegetables are almost tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Add broth and wine. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in watercress. Let stand 5 minutes. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Transfer to large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
• Ladle soup into bowls. Top with dollop of yogurt, if desired.

CHILLED LEEK & FENNEL SOUP

Steps:

• In a large deep saucepan over medium heat, add oil. When hot, add red onions and leeks; stir and cook until onions just begin to be translucent, about 3 minutes. Add fennel and zucchini, sprinkle sea salt, stir, cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Pour in chicken broth and lemon juice; stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes before pouring it in the jar of a blender. Place the lid and cover with a dish towel; process until smooth. Add heavy cream and process for 1 minute. Pour soup in a large bowl and transfer to the refrigerator until chilled, about 4 hours. Yields 6 cups.

CHILLED BEET-AND-FENNEL SOUP

Steps:

• Leave root and 1 inch of stem on beets; scrub with a brush. Place beets and fennel seeds in a medium saucepan; cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes or until tender. Drain beets through a fine sieve into a bowl, reserving fennel seeds and 3 cups cooking liquid. Rinse beets under cold water; drain. Peel beets; cut into 1/2-inch cubes, reserving 3/4 cup for garnish. Combine remaining beets, reserved cooking liquid, and fennel seeds in a bowl; set aside.
• Add oil to a medium non-stick pan and saute onions for two or three minutes. Add sliced fennel and 1/4 cup water and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for simmer 20 minutes or until fennel is tender.
• Combine fennel bulb mixture, beet mixture, yogurt, milk, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender; process until smooth. Pour soup into a bowl; cover and chill thoroughly. Ladle 3/4 cup soup into individual bowls, and top with 2 tablespoons reserved beets.