Recipe For The Week 10/01/16
This is a lovely, creamy, French-based soup, that is loaded with herb flavors. The Herbes de Provence adds a delicious addition to this recipe and is a perfect complement to the potatoes, leeks, and fennel. Don't forget the white pepper as the finishing addition to the soup - it gives just the right final accent. This is a wonderful and savory soup - so delicious, you will want to make it again and again.
Ingredients:
2 Tblspns Butter
1 small leek, white and green parts only, thinly sliced
1 small onion, chopped
1 small fennel bulb, halved, cored and chopped
1 medium celery rib, thinly sliced
1/2 shallot, finely chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp garlic granules
Salt (to taste)
4 cups chicken stock (recommend, "Better Than Bouillon")
1 lb potatoes (Yukon Gold or Russett), uncooked, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 Tblspn dried parsley
1 Tblspn Herbes de Provence
3/4 cup light cream
1/2 tsp white pepper
Fresh chives for garnish
In a large saucepan melt the butter and then add the leeks, onion, fennel, celery, shallot, thyme, garlic and salt. Cook this mixture over medium heat until the vegetables are soft and just starting to turn brown (about 10 minutes). Add the chicken stock, potatoes, parsley and Herbes de Provence. Bring this to a boil and then simmer the soup until the vegetables are tender (about 20 - 30 minutes). Add the light cream to the soup and simmer over medium heat until slightly thick. Season with salt to taste and then add the white pepper. Serve hot and garnish with the fresh chives.
