Creamed Fennel Soup

Warning: This is not a low fat soup, but it’s delicious and perfect for cold, rainy winter days like today (in the southern hemisphere). It’s also super easy to make - which is what I like. So here's the adapted version from the Sensational Vegetable Recipes by Bay Books. 

What you’ll need:

*2 potatoes (used medium-sized)

*1 medium fennel bulb (had a rather large one)

*60g butter (added half that with a couple of tablespoons of oil)

*500ml (2 cups) stock - added an extra cup of vegetable stock to make the soup less thick

*125g cream cheese

*1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped (didn’t use)

*1 tablespoon lemon juice (haven’t used)

*Pepper to taste

*Salt if needed (usually don’t)

My variation: 2-3 raw garlic cloves

What to do:

Fennel bulb

The recipe calls for chopped fennel bulb to be cooked in melted butter over low heat. I lightly brown the potatoes in butter and oil, then add sliced fennel into the pan over the potatoes, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes. Then add stock, bring to a boil, cover and simmer until vegetables are cooked. Leave to cool a bit . Then add cream cheese and raw garlic and blend until smooth. And it’s good to go.