Favorite Summer Soup Leek Fennel Onion And Potato Food

FAVORITE SUMMER SOUP: LEEK, FENNEL, ONION AND POTATO

Steps:

• Vegetables -- To a large pot, add the olive oil and butter and bring to medium heat. Add the garlic, then the leeks and fennel, onion slowly cook on medium heat until lightly golden brown, but not dark brown. Just a slow caramelizing works best for this.
• Potatoes -- Add the potatoes and mix just to combine the flavors. Add the herbs and seasoning, (rosemary, thyme, parsley -- reserving some for a garnish, salt and pepper and nutmeg). Cook 5 minutes.
• Sauce -- Add the sherry, to deglaze the pan slightly, then the chicken broth and mix well. Cook 30 minutes on a low simmer until the potatoes fall apart.
• My trick -- Instant potato flakes. Rather than corn starch in soups to thicken -- I love potato flakes. Just add them in, nothing more. A instant light thickening with some taste. I like to add 1/4-1/2 cup. Just add to the broth and it will slightly thicken without a fake corn starch or flour taste.
• Finish -- Add the heavy cream to finish it off. Just heat and season with any salt and pepper to taste.
• If you want and I love these -- balsamic mushrooms, just toss in a baggie, the mushrooms, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Add to a cookie sheet topped with foil and roast at 450 for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Just slice and then top the soup.
• Well worth making it. A bowl of this, a salad, a fresh tomato panini anything. So good and comforting.

FENNEL, GARLIC AND POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add the onion, celery, chopped fennel and a generous pinch of salt. Cook gently for about 5 to 8 minutes, until the vegetables have softened and lost some of their volume. Add the potatoes, garlic, bouquet garni and the water or stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, add salt to taste, cover and simmer 45 minutes.
• Remove the bouquet garni. Blend the soup until smooth with an immersion blender, or ladle into a blender, working in 1 1/2-cup batches. Remove the center from the blender cover, place a towel over the cover and pull it down tightly to prevent splashing. Blend and return to the pot. Heat through, add salt and pepper to taste and serve, or chill and serve cold, with your choice of garnishes.

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.

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.

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.