I highlighted the minor changes I made to the original recipe below:
|
·
2 large fennel bulbs—8 small fronds reserved, bulb
cored and sliced 1/2 inch thick (one bulb reserved for garnish)
· juice
of 1 Meyer lemon
· Salt and
pepper to taste
· 3
tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
· 1 3/4 pounds yellow zucchini, sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
· 1 large
onion, thinly sliced
· 1 large
garlic clove, smashed
· 1 quart vegan chicken stock
· Freshly
ground pepper
· 1/2 cup crème
fraîche
· 2
tablespoons corn starch
* the soup can be made up to two days
ahead.
|
1. In a medium
saucepan, cover one of the sliced fennel bulbs with water. Add the lemon
juice and a large pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over
low heat until the fennel is tender when pierced with a knife, about 20
minutes. Drain the fennel.
2. In a large
pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the zucchini, onion and garlic,
season with salt and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until
just softened, about 10 minutes. Add the mock chicken stock and cooked fennel
and bring to a boil. Cover partially and simmer over moderate heat, stirring
a few times, until the vegetables have softened completely, about 15 minutes.
3.
While
the soup is simmering, toss the remaining fennel with 1 tablespoon of olive
oil, salt and pepper. Broil the fennel for 20 minutes (until carmelization
occurs, but not burnt).
4.
Place
the corn starch in a small bowl and whisk with a ½ cup of the heated
broth.
5.
Puree
the soup with your immersion blender (or in a blender). Add the cornstarch
mixture to the puree. Continue heating the soup on high for seven minutes,
until thickened, stirring occasionally.
6.
Ladle
the soup into shallow bowls. Dollop 1 tablespoon of the crème fraîche into
each soup and swirl in. Garnish with the broiled fennel bulb and fennel
fronds.
7.
Serve
immediately.
|
 |
| My favorite brand of vegan bouillon cubes, nightshade free |
The original recipe called for one fennel bulb. In my version, I used one for the soup. I sliced and tossed the other one in olive oil, salt and pepper and broiled it, using it with the crème fraîche and fronds for a garnish. Instead of plain lemon juice I like using Meyer lemons. They are sweeter with a more complex citrus taste. I only had yellow zucchini on hand, and I doubt that it makes much of a difference flavor wise, if anything it gave the soup more of a yellow hue. The key change to making it vegan is to simply use mock chicken broth. I prefer the Edward and Sons "Not-Chick'n Chicken Broth."
