Soup with Fennel Four Ways!

Here we are getting ready for the harvest season and with that, a change of weather. Tomatoes, among other things, are being offered at the Farmer's Market and it is a great time to be making sauces and soups which can be canned or frozen.

Another delicious idea for a change of season meal is one that includes fennel. Fennel is often misunderstood and really should be included as a mainstay veggie. Fennel is similar to celery and celery root and that is familiar to most of us - it is a crunchy almost a little sweet alternative to celery and can be used in place of or in addition to celery.

Fennel has a pale green bulb with stalks and feathery, lace-like leaves. The leaves eventually flower and produce fennel seeds - a wonderful spice for breads, meatballs, and even herb tea. The bulb can simply be sliced and eaten raw or in a salad and the stalks can be used deliciously in long-cooking dishes and in the water used to poach fish. Fennel is a perfect seasoning for mackerel.

My White Bean Soup recipe includes both celery and fennel. Here you can use the bulb, stalks, leaves and seeds! Fennel has a mild taste and goes well in this recipe which is a great seasonal soup with a very hardy taste.

MEDITERRANEAN STYLE WHITE BEAN SOUP

adapted from The Perricone Promise

One red or green bell pepper, chopped

One yellow onion, chopped

2 ribs celery, sliced

1/3 fennel bulb, chopped

2 fennel stalks, chopped

3 TB fennel leaves, minced

8 cloves garlic

1 TB dry basil

3 tsp whole fennel seeds

½ tsp red pepper flakes
2 TB olive oil

6 C vegetable or chicken broth

1 can (28 oz.) tomatoes, chopped & drain (save juice)

2 cans (15 oz.) white beans

Parmesan cheese, grated or shaved

Croutons

Salt & Pepper

Saute in the olive oil until tender, about 10 minutes: bell pepper, onion, celery, fennel bulb and stalks, garlic, basil, fennel, & red pepper flakes.

Add broth and tomatoes and heat for a few minutes. Add the beans and fennel leaves, and heat another few minutes. Taste, add salt & pepper, adjust other seasonings.

Serve topped with Parmesan cheese & croutons.

ENJOY!