originally posted July 16, 2020
Ingredients
1 large fennel bulb (fronds reserved, bulb sliced ½ inch thick)
Lemon juice to taste
Salt to taste
Dash or two or four of white wine to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Approximately 2lbs mixed summer squash sliced ½ inch thick
1 (or many) large garlic cloves, smashed
1 large onion thinly sliced
1 quart chicken stock
Freshly ground pepper
½ cup crème fraîche
Chopped spring onions for garnish
Preparation
In a medium saucepan, cover the sliced fennel bulb with water. Add the lemon juice and a large dash of salt and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat until the fennel is nice and tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain the fennel and set aside.
In a large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the summer squash, onion, and garlic. Season with salt and white wine and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, adding dashes of more oil and wine as needed until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock and cooked fennel and bring to a boil. Cover partially and simmer over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened completely, about 8 minutes.
Cool the vegetable glory down to a warm temp. Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender. Return the soup to the pot and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Ladle the soup into shallow bowls that delight your soul. Dollop one tablespoon of the crème fraîche into each serving and swirl in prettily. Garnish with fennel fronds and thin sliced spring onions and serve. Soup can be refrigerated up to 2 days. Reheat gently over medium low heat, being careful not to burn.