Fennel And Leek Soup Recipes

LEEK, FENNEL & POTATO SOUP WITH CASHEL BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• Quarter the fennel and discard the tough outer leaves and the hard core from each piece. Slice the rest of the flesh, including any little fronds.
• Heat the butter in a saucepan and add the fennel, leeks and potato. Cook over a medium heat for about 5 mins, turning the vegetables over in the butter. The vegetables shouldn't colour. Add a splash of water, cover the pan and cook the vegetables for 20 mins, stirring every so often. Add the stock or water and garlic, season, bring to the boil, then turn the heat down low and cover the pan with a lid or foil.
• Cook for about 10-15 mins, until everything is completely tender. Stir in the cream and leave to cool. Purée in a blender until completely smooth. Check the seasoning and return the mixture to the saucepan - you can reheat it quickly just before serving. Ladle into bowls and scatter each one with the walnuts and cheese.

LEEK AND FENNEL SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan or soup kettle over medium-low heat, place the olive oil, leeks, celery, onions, fennel, potatoes, salt, and pepper, and cook and stir until the onions are translucent and the vegetables have begun to soften, about 10 minutes.
• Pour 8 cups of water over the vegetables, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and drop in the vegetable bouillon cubes. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the cubes, until the vegetables are tender and the potatoes have begun to thicken the soup, about 30 minutes.

LEEK AND FENNEL SOUP

Steps:

• In a medium-sized heavy bottom pot over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of olive and add 3 thinly sliced, large leeks, 1 bulb of thinly sliced fennel, 2 thinly sliced celery stalks, 3 cloves of minced garlic, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Sauté, for about 5-7 minutes until vegetables have softened.
• Stir in 1- 1¼ pounds of potatoes chopped into ½-inch pieces.
• Pour in 3 cups of vegetable broth and bring to a boil.
• Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes until potatoes are cooked.
• Allow soup to cool slightly before transferring to a food processor or blender to purée for a few minutes.
• Pour in ½ cup of heavy cream and stir to combine through. If too thick, add a little more vegetable broth. Season with salt to taste.
• In a small saucepan, cook 2 pieces of turkey bacon until crispy.
• Once cooked, chop bacon into ½-inch pieces and set aside for serving.
• Ladle soup into serving bowls and garnish with crispy bacon, a few fennel fronds and some freshly ground black pepper!

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.

FENNEL AND LEEK SOUP WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• In a large dutch oven heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add thyme and mushrooms and sauté until the mushrooms get tender and brown. Remove from heat. Transfer mushrooms to a small bowl. Reserve thyme.
• Fill a large bowl with water. Slice the leeks lengthwise, then chop them cross wise into half inch pieces. Transfer the leeks to the bowl of water. Using your hands, agitate the vegetables in the water to dislodge any trapped grit and dirt. With your hands, working in batches, scoop the leeks to a salad spinner and spin dry.
• Add 2 more tablespoons olive oil to the dutch oven and heat over medium heat. Add leeks, fennel, reserved thyme and salt stir to combine. Cover and simmer for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and translucent. Add vegetable broth, bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Remove thyme stems (most of the leaves should have come off during this simmer and you're really just removing the stems).
• Working in batches transfer leek mixture to blender and puree until smooth.
• Warm soup over medium heat.
• Before adding mushrooms, make sure they have drained all their liquid -- you may have to use some paper towel too pat them dry. (This is so the mushroom juice doesn't discolor the soup).
• Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with mushrooms and fennel fronds.

ROASTED GARLIC, POTATO, LEEK AND FENNEL SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325F while peeling garlic cloves.
• Place garlic cloves in small baking pan; add 1 tablespoons of the olive oil and stir to coat well. Roast for 20 minutes or until golden.
• In large heavy saucepan heat remaining oil over medium heat. Add leeks and fennel; saute until mixture begins to brown slightly, about 10 minutes.
• Add broth, potatoes, roasted garlic, thyme and bay leaves; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
• Remove bay leaves and discard.
• Puree soup, in batches, in food processor or blender. Return to sauce pan and heat through.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Divide among 4 bowls and top each with a tablespoon of yogurt.
• Garnish with a bit of chopped fennel leaves, if desired.

CREAMY FENNEL AND LEEK SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a large, deep (preferably non-stick) sauté pan, over a medium heat, add the sliced fennel (NOT the strips of fennel), sliced leek and finely chopped garlic, and sauté, while stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until the fennel, leeks and garlic are beginning to soften.
• Remove from the heat, and set aside.
• In a large pot, heat the stock, add the rosemary sprigs, thyme and nutmeg and bring to the boil.
• Simmer over a low heat for about 15 minutes.
• Remove the rosemary sprigs.
• Add the fennel, leek and garlic mixture to the pot, and stir to combine all the ingredients.
• Set the pan in which the fennel, leek and garlic were sautéed aside, for re-use later.
• Allow the soup to cool slightly (10 minutes cooling time should be ample), then blend it in batches in a blender or food processor until smooth.
• As each batch is blended, pour the blended soup into another pot or pan, perhaps the deep pan used earlier to sauté the fennel, leeks and garlic.
• Once all of the soup has been blended, stir it to ensure that it is of an even consistency (inevitably some batches were probably thinner than others).
• Stir the sour cream and the 1/4 cup of parmesan into the soup.
• Reheat the soup over a medium heat until it is hot, but do not allow it to come to the boil.
• Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Turn off the heat and leave the soup covered so that it stays warm.
• In a small non-stick pan, heat the oil, and sauté the extra leek for 2-3 minutes, or until softened but not browned.
• Ladle the soup into warm soup bowls and top with the sautéed leek.
• Garnish with the extra parmesan and sour cream, and serve immediately with warm crusty rolls.
• Chef's Note: Since posting this recipe, and since last making this soup, I have found and posted a fabulous recipe for vegetable, quite unlike others I have used in the past: Vegetable Stock Recipe #135453.

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.

POTATO, LEEK AND FENNEL SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add leeks and fennel and sauté until leeks are translucent, about 7 minutes. Add broth and potatoes and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer soup until potatoes are very tender, about 25 minutes. Working in batches, purée soup in blender. Return to same pot. Rewarm soup if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls; garnish with reserved fennel fronds and serve.

FENNEL AND LEEK SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a pan, add the onion, fennel and leeks and fry gently until softened slightly. Add the garlic and fry for one minute.
• Add the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 6-8 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
• Pour the soup into a blender. Add the cream, half of the chives and the lemon juice. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper and blend until smooth.
• To serve, pour the soup into a bowl and garnish with the remaining chives.

FENNEL, LEEK AND SPINACH SOUP

Steps:

• Melt margarine in large pot over medium heat. Add fennel and leeks. Sauté until just translucent, about 15 minutes. Add broth to cover pot. Simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
• Puree soup in small batches in blender until smooth, adding spinach to last batch before pureeing. Return soup to same pot.Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Refrigerate until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated.)
• Rewarm soup over low heat, stirring occasionally. Ladle into bowls and serve.