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Saturday, November 12, 2011

Carrot and Fennel Soup



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...At risk of life and limb, I'm throwing tradition to the wind and plan to serve a non-traditional feast on Thanksgiving Day. I'm not jaded or blase, I'd just like something different for a change. At some point before the holiday, I'll stuff and roast a turkey. That will guarantee the aromas of the holiday grace my kitchen and assure leftovers for midnight sandwich raids, but the big day itself is going to feature new dishes that we've tried and found to be exceptional. My intent, please God, is to prepare a meal where every course has the socks of the assembled guests going up and down. I plan to start with a soup that was new to us this year. It has quite a pedigree. Amanda Hesser created a chunky version of the soup for The New York Times Magazine and Molly Wizenberg featured a pureed version of it on her blog, Orangette. It is wonderful either way, but I'm going with the pureed version of it for the holiday. I have lovely small cups for creamed soups that I like to use as starters for holiday meals and they are perfect for serving small portions of this vibrant, nearly creamless, soup. It is, of course, delicious, but it has the added virtues of being cheap and easy. While my description is a bit inelegant, it is apt, and the soup is a perfect starter for special meals. It has bright and layered flavors and can be made a day or two ahead of serving, so please hold on to your socks. You are going to love this one. Here's the recipe.

Carrot-and-Fennel Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Amanda Hesser and Molly Wizenberg

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced; fronds reserved
1-1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
2 large garlic clove, thinly sliced
4 to 5 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 to 4 tablespoons creme fraiche or sour cream
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1) In a large heavy saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter until foamy. Add fennel slices and cook, stirring, until softened. Add carrots and garlic and cook another minute or two. Pour in 4 cups of vegetable stock and season with salt. Simmer, covered, until carrots are very tender, about 20 minutes.
2) Remove soup from heat and stir in orange juice, sour cream and reserved fennel fronds. If you have an immersion blender puree soup in pot, otherwise puree in batches using a food processor or blender. If soup appears too thick, thin with reserved vegetable stock. Adjust seasoning to taste. Yield: 4 to 5 servings.









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23 comments:

  1. You've got me sold! This would be a great new standard for a Thanksgiving feast. Love that it's (mostly) the veggies that give it the creamy texture. (I've got a turkey thawing as we speak because I am not hosting and won't be getting any leftovers -- and I want 'em!)

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  2. Mary, I feel that I now have your "blessing" to branch out this Thanksgiving. I've toyed with the idea for years but didn't want to disappoint family and guests (or do without turkey sandwiches). I'd like to come up with something less wieldy than a turkey to deal with. I'm still looking at recipes, testing some and now depending on you!!

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  3. I don't often parrot anyone else's recipes. This one, however, is special.

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  4. How fun, I want to come to your house! This is a nice change from the regular squash soup I usually serve. My socks are starting to go up and down just thinking about it!

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  5. this sounds lovely, I also like the color of it,, beautiful.

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  6. i love fennel..in soup ,roasted or in salad.Didn't try yet to combine it in soup with carrot, but seems a tasty idea:)

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  7. Just finished the last bowl of pumpkin soup...tomorrow I am going to make some carrot soup ;-) Wish I had some fennel at home..I love the combination of your soup.

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  8. Sounds like a really interesting combo of flavors. I'll have to try it.

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  9. This looks so luscious and creamy -- I love carrot soup and usually put fennel in my cauliflower soup, but I haven't done fennel and carrot before...but I will have to try it soon. What a great soup for Thanksgiving, too!

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  10. This looks delightful, especially with the orange juice and sour cream!

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  11. sounds delicious Mary, have a nice weekend! gloria

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  12. What a beautiful soup! I really need something like this at this time of the year...!

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  13. wow wat a comfort soup,luks delicious...

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  14. Great combination of flavours in this soup - orange really brings out the flavour of carrots. I've just got to try this. And cheap and easy are pretty big virtues in my book.

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  15. I'm a fan of soups and would like to taste this one! Have a great day!

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  16. I'm sold. I never really cared for any of the 'traditional' Thanksgiving foods, not the ones served today anyway. I too will probly roast a turkey but plan on serving fun and delicious foods that aren't main stream.
    love this soup, I can see it on our dinner table this holiday.
    xo

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  17. This looks very tempting! Have not tried carrot with fennel before, and the addition of orange juice makes an interesting combination. Lovely!

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  18. This soup looks and sounds delicious. I am sure it will be a hit for Thanksgiving.

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  19. Very nice color,quick and easy to prepare as well,Mary!Enjoy the weekend!

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  20. I love carrot soup and its color is so autumnal.

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  21. Carrot and fennel..sounds wonderful...and such a smooth texture. I'm trying it this week!

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  22. I really want to give fennel another chance--aaand I happen to have a giant bag of about-to-be-old carrots. I'm definitely bookmarking this! I love veggie soups in general anyway.

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