Lemon Fennel Soup With Garlic Croutons

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 shallots, chopped finely
• 2 large fennel bulbs, sliced thinly, save the feathery fennel tops to use as garnish
• salt
• black pepper, freshly ground
• 2 cups vegetable stock or 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups milk
• 2 slices fresh bread, crusts removed
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 lemon, juice and zest of
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

Recipe

• 1 melt half the butter in a saucepan and sauté the shallots until translucent.
• 2 add the fennel.
• 3 season with salt and pepper to your taste. cover the pan and sweat the fennel for 10 minutes, until softened.
• 4 add the stock and bring to a boil.
• 5 simmer for 20 minutes.
• 6 remove from heat and carefully puree the soup in a food processor or with a hand-held blender.
• 7 return to the saucepan, and thin with milk to the desired consistency, i use about 1 1/2 cups, use more if you like it thinner. heat through.
• 8 meanwhile, cut the bread into 1/2 inch cubes.
• 9 melt the remaining butter in a frying pan, and sauté the bread cubes with the garlic and lemon zest, until golden and toasted.
• 10 remove the soup from the heat.
• 11 stir in the lemon juice, and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
• 12 divide the soup between individual bowls.
• 13 garnish with the croutons and chopped parsley.