Carrot & Fennel Soup

This recipe is adapted from Orangette.

This is a very flavorful puree of sorts that can be eaten as a soup, thickened to make a sauce or used as a puree to eat with chicken or fish...It was delicious and versatile and I loved it (and it can easily be adapted to be vegan)! (I apologize for not having a photo, but I had some difficulties with my camera...and I'm pretty sure all carrot soups look relatively similar anyway so you can use your imagination!).

Also, if you do have the time and have some vegetables that you need to use, I highly recommend making homemade stock as it really improves the flavor of anything you are making...Just brown whatever vegetables you have, add about 8 cups of water and let it cook at a rolling boil for an hour or so until it reduces down! (I have used anything and everything from: fennel & fennel tops, onions, carrots, celery, leeks, sunchokes, garlic cloves, basil, rosemary, parsley, bay leaves, lemon peel, etc, etc, etc...it's an experiment everytime!) oh, and stock freezes well so you can always have a reserve for the times when, well, you don't have time... :)

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 Tbsp. olive oil
* 1 large fennel bulb, chopped
* 1 small onion, chopped
* 4 large carrots, chopped
* 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
* 3 cups of stock (vegetable or chicken stock)
* 1/3 cup orange juice (I used tangerine juice)
* 1 Tbsp. sherry
* 1 tsp. salt (I used Herbamare)
* 1/4 cup fat-free half & half (optional)
* Optional garnish: parsley and/or a dollop of creme fraiche

DIRECTIONS:

* Heat oil over medium high heat.
* Sautee fennel, onion and garlic until softened, stirring occassionally.
* Add carrots and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
* Add 2 cups of stock (reserve the last cup in case you like a thinner soup)
* Remove from heat and puree in food processor or blender.
* Add orange juice, sherry, half & half, and salt and puree again until smooth.

Serving Suggestions:
If used as a soup, this would be delicious with a side salad, some goat cheese crostinis or a crusty chunk of walnut or pistachio bread...

If used as a puree, try it with some fish as pictured below--Australian Barramundi over a bed of roasted potatoes and carrot-fennel puree with a wedge of lime: