Ingredients

  • Soup
  • 1 large fennel bulbs 1/2 inch slices
  • 3 lbs. butternut squash 1/2 inch slices
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon fennel seed
  • 2 tablespoons butter, unsalted
  • 5 cups water
  • Fennel Chips
  • 1 cup water
  • ½ cup sugar, caster
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 small fennel bulbs paper-thin slices

Directions

1. Soup: Cook fennel, squash, onion and fennel seeds in butter in a 6 quart pot over moderate heat, covered, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Add water and simmer, covered, until squash is very tender, 25-30 minutes.
2. Purée soup and season with salt and pepper.
3. Fennel Chips: Preheat oven to 225*F/105*C/GM 1/2.
4. Heat sugar in water until dissolved. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Cut fennel using a mandoline. Pour sugar mixture over fennel in a bowl and let stand 5 minutes.
5. Put silpat on baking sheet. Shake off excess liquid from fennel slices and arrange on pad in 1 layer (don't let slices touch). Bake in middle of oven 1 hour, or until dry and crisp. Working quickly, carefuly peel chips off liner and transfer to a rack to cool. Top soup with chips.
6. Soup may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.

Notes
Notes:Original recipe serves 4, 9 cups.


Categories
hot, soups
Keywords
soups, hot
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