Description
Ina Garten’s creamy potato fennel soup brings rustic French countryside comfort to your kitchen. Rich fennel and potato blend into a silky smooth experience that warms souls with each delightful spoonful you savor.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables:
- 5 cups (500 grams / about 2 bulbs) sliced fennel, tops and cores removed, fronds reserved
- 4 cups (500 grams / 3 onions) sliced yellow onions
- 1½ pounds (680 grams) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and 1-inch diced
Liquids and Dairy:
- 5 cups (1.2 liters) good chicken stock (preferably homemade)
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) half-and-half
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) Pernod liqueur
Fats, Seasonings, and Garnishes:
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams / ¼ stick) unsalted butter
- Good olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Garnishes: Meredith Dairy cheese, cubed creamy goat cheese, croutons, cooked crumbled bacon, and/or cooked pancetta
Instructions
- Initiate the flavor foundation by gently warming olive oil and butter in a medium-sized pot or Dutch oven over moderate heat. Introduce finely chopped fennel and onions, allowing them to caramelize and develop a rich, golden-brown complexion through periodic stirring, approximately 15 minutes.
- Incorporate diced potatoes, chicken stock, and season generously with salt and pepper. Elevate the temperature until the liquid reaches a robust boil, then reduce heat, cover the pot, and let the mixture simmer for 30 minutes, ensuring potatoes become exceptionally tender and easily mashable.
- Transform the soup’s texture by carefully transferring portions into a food processor equipped with a steel blade. Purée each batch until achieving a silky, uniform consistency, then methodically return the processed soup to the original cooking vessel.
- Enhance the soup’s complexity by introducing Pernod and half-and-half, creating a luxurious, creamy profile. Meticulously taste and fine-tune seasonings to achieve a perfectly balanced flavor spectrum.
- Prepare serving presentation by strategically positioning garnishes in the center of expansive, shallow soup bowls. Delicately pour the steaming soup surrounding the garnishes, then artfully drizzle with a kiss of olive oil and crown with reserved fennel fronds, presenting a visually stunning and aromatic dish ready to be savored.
Notes
- Harness homemade stock’s magic by using freshly prepared chicken broth, which delivers deeper, more complex flavors compared to commercial alternatives.
- Gently caramelize fennel and onions over medium-low heat, allowing natural sugars to develop a rich, sweet undertone that transforms the soup’s overall taste profile.
- Monitor potato tenderness carefully to maintain ideal texture, preventing mushiness that could compromise the soup’s delightful consistency.
- Blend strategically in small batches, ensuring each portion receives equal attention for a silky-smooth result without lumps or uneven mixing.
- Taste and fine-tune seasonings just before serving, understanding that subtle salt and pepper adjustments can elevate the entire dish from good to extraordinary.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (about 240 ml)
- Calories: 270
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 35mg