Zucchini and Fennel Soup Recipe

Last Friday I made a vegan version of Peter Ting's (from Food and Wine magazine) Zucchini and Fennel Soup. It is a thick pureed soup with delicate notes of fennel flavor and hints of lemon. I used real crème fraîche for the garnish. Those of you who prefer to keep the soup vegan, the Wicked Good Vegan has a great crème fraîche recipe.

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."