While we are sitting here waiting for that miserable yet glorious “soupy” summer weather, we’ve been cooking up lots of tasty new soup recipes! So what soup is simmering in our kettle now? How about fennel, leek and potato soup? We QA tested this vat of creamy goodness by sharing it with some friends, and it was overwhelming coined as a tasty and velvety spring dish!

Fennel is in season from autumn through spring. However, many of you Easter celebrators may associate the sweet licorice-flavored root vegetable with the birth of springtime. This reputation adds the perfect flavor association for a spring soup. Leeks add a subtle and delicate onion-like flavor. Those potatoes? Well, they help to thicken the soup and make it nice and creamy without using fillers like cornstarch, cream, or a butter and flour roux. Plus, the potato makes it a bit more filling.

Just a few more simple ingredients complete the list to create a spectacular and surprisingly hardy soup. Our recent soup kick has received a couple of rocket propellers via the Cuisinart Blend and Soup Cooker.

This all in one machine is a serious motivator for our soup-making activities — it both cooks and blends all in one device, which means fewer steps and less cleaning. But, if you don’t have it, no worries! There’s nothing wrong with the old soup pot and blender!

We seriously hope you’ll try this soup! It was a hit with our sample group. 🙂 Vegan? Not to worry! We have a couple of quick amendments to help you slip this wonderful soup into your spring menu.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 Leeks (remove the green stalks and use only the white bulbs. Be sure to wash thoroughly)
  • 1 Chopped fennel bulb (save the green tops for garnish)
  • 2 Potatoes (peeled and loosely chopped)
  • 1/2 Chopped sweet onion
  • 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 Tablespoon chicken bullion
  • 1 Teaspoon pepper (We happened to like ours a little more peppery, so we did closer to a tablespoon)
  • 3 Tablespoons duck fat (found in the oil section of most grocery stores)
  • 3 1/2 cups of water
  • Shredded Monterey Jack cheese (for topping)

NOTE: Following a Vegan diet? No worries! You can very easily make this a vegetarian-friendly dish. Just substitute olive oil for the duck fat and vegetable bullion for the chicken.

You can also make the veggie/chicken stock yourself if you want to go all out with your cooking skills.

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Boil water in either blender or pot.
  2. In your favorite mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients, except for the water.
  3. Once the water is boiling, add all of the ingredients and lower the heat.
  4. Occasionally stir, rotating the vegetables from top to bottom.
  5. Simmer for about 40 minutes, or until all vegetables are soft.
  6. Blend until all lumps are gone.
  7. Ladle a healthy amount into your favorite bowl or mug.
  8. Add salt to taste.
  9. Top with shredded Monterey Jack and fennel greens.
  10. Enjoy!

Note: We served some buttered toast on the side to complete this meal. But you could skip the bread, use crackers, or try a nice buttery croissant!

Tell us what you think about this soup recipe! We can’t wait to share our next soup-tastic experiment!

The Haute Life