Fennel

[Lady Willow]

I've just made a big pan of fennel and cardamon soup with my own fennels... It's delish ... one of my favourite soups.

It's eally rich and velvety and creamy, great for a dinner party ... especially great for those opting out of dairy.

Here's the recipe if anybody fancies trying it....


2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 small onion or shallot, chopped fine
Sauté until transparent.

600g fennel bulbs, quartered
2 cloves garlic, crushed
5 cardamom pods (seeds only)
Sauté until transparent.

300 ml light stock
Add, cover, bring to boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

25g ground almonds
Add and blend until velvety smooth.

2 tbsp soya cream
seasoning
Stir in. If you want to be fancy, garnish with a few fronds of fennel placed lightly on top. If you want to be like me, eat it straight out of the pan.

[ocailleagh]

That sounds delicious! I sometimes make fennel and pumpkin soup, but the fennel flavour seems to get lost, I'll have to try this one instead!

[contadina]

I'll definitely give this a go when fennel season comes round again.

Another rather lovely way to serve it (to non-vegans) is to cook them in milk, blitz with breadcrumbs, add egg yolks and cheese and bake in a mould. It has a lovely delicate flavour and looks rather impressive when you unmould it.

[hedgewitch]

Hmmm yummy. That does sound good.