Fennel Soup with Bacon

It is officially soup season in the U.S. With fall here and the occasional chilly day, I am ready for a hearty warm bowl of soup. This Fennel Soup with Bacon hit the spot. Beautifully creamy both from the fennel and potato mixture being blended and the addition of a nice hit of cream at the very end of cooking, it is perfect with a little bread and a nice fresh bright tomato salad, and of course a cold crisp beer.

Fennel Soup with Bacon (Fenchelsuppe mit Speck)

Adapted from The New German Cookbook by Jean Anderson and Hedy Wurz

Makes 6 servings

1 ½ pounds fennel (1 large or 2 smaller bulbs)

2 ounces slab bacon, cut into ¼ inch cubes

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

2 large yellow onions, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 large yellow potato, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 large whole bay leaf

¼ tsp feshly ground nutmeg

4 cups chicken broth

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp freshly ground balck pepper

½ cup heavy cream

1. Remove the young feathery fennel tops from the bulbs. Chop, at a fine dice, enough to fill ½ cup, set aside.

2. Discard any woody or discolored parts of the bulb as well as the very base of the bulb. Chop the remaining fennel and set aside.

3. Saute the bacon in a medium-size heavy dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Stir often, cook until all drippings are rendered out and bacon is fully crisped. Remove bacon bits from the pot with a slotted spoon, set aside.

4. Add the butter, onions, chopped fennel bulb, potato, fennel seeds, bay leaf, and nutmeg. Turn everything in the butter and drippings a few times to coat and glaze, about 2-3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and steam for 15 minutes.

5. Add the broth, bring to a boil over medium heat, then adjust the heat so it simmers gently. Cover and simmer 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very soft.

6. Remove and discard the bay leaf. If you have an immersion blender, blend the soup to a nice smooth consistency. If not, let cool for 15 minutes and then blend in batches in a food processor and return to the pot once blended smooth.

7. Add the salt, pepper, and cream. Stir to combine and reheat as needed. Stir in the reserved chopped fennel fronds and bacon crumbles.  You may save some chopped fennel fronds and bacon for presentation if you desire.

We served this soup with a Rosemary Bacon Gugelhupf from Das Cookbook.