FENNEL CREAM (VELVET SOUP)
Until now, have you always thought that Fennel Cream is a sad dish for those on a diet? If the answer is yes, today I’m ready to change your mind: you’ll make a fennel velvet soup so tasty you can even offer it for a special dinner.
The fennel velvet soup is indeed a light and flavorful cream that can be personalized with spices: a bit of saffron, which pairs perfectly with this vegetable, will add not only color but also flavor. Alternatively, you can use turmeric, sweet paprika, or even a pinch of cinnamon.
With this small trick, you will transform a simple Fennel Cream into an exciting and refined first course that will win over even the most demanding palates.
An extremely easy and economical recipe, healthy yet tasty, that will save last-minute lunches and dinners because it is prepared in no time, and within half an hour, you’ll be sitting at the table.
And don’t forget that fennel has not only purifying properties but also digestive ones, and if you still have doubts because not everyone likes this vegetable, don’t worry: the presence of potatoes in the mix will make it creamier and even more delicate, suitable for the skeptical!
If, like me, you love creams and velvet soups, you must absolutely try this FENNEL CREAM with POTATOES, and once ready, garnish with wild fennel or fennel fronds and serve it with croutons and a drizzle of raw olive oil: the true comfort food par excellence!
For other SOUP and VELVET recipes see also
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 44
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 148.13 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 16.82 (g) of which sugars 3.62 (g)
- Proteins 3.23 (g)
- Fat 7.81 (g) of which saturated 1.23 (g)of which unsaturated 0.37 (g)
- Fibers 3.26 (g)
- Sodium 968.37 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 200 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 2 fennel bulbs (about 1 lbs)
- 3 potatoes (about 14 oz)
- 1 white onion
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- saffron (1 pinch or turmeric or sweet paprika)
- to taste fine salt
- 1 pinch black pepper (ground)
- 1 oz extra virgin olive oil (plus extra for raw garnishing)
- bread croutons
- Tuscan bread (toasted)
Tools
- Peeler
- Pot
- Immersion Blender
PROCEDURE
Before preparing the Fennel Velvet Soup, prepare a vegetable broth and keep it warm as you will need it during the recipe.
First, wash the fennel bulbs and remove the tougher outer parts, then cut them into wedges and rinse them. Save some fennel fronds for the final plate decoration. Then peel the potatoes, wash them, and cut them into cubes. Finally, peel the onion and slice it thinly using a mandolin.
Put the oil in a pot, heat it, add the onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes and fennel bulbs, stir and let them season for a few minutes. Then pour the hot broth into the pot, add a pinch of pepper and turmeric. Continue cooking for another 25 minutes. Adjust the salt and transfer everything to the blender jar. Blend the mixture. It should have a consistency neither too thick nor too liquid. If the fennel velvet soup is too dense, add a little broth; if too liquid, return it to the pot and let it thicken for a few more minutes over low heat.
Divide the Fennel Cream into bowls, drizzle with a little raw extra virgin olive oil, decorate with the reserved fennel fronds, and serve hot accompanied by croutons or slices of toasted bread. You can also enjoy the Fennel Velvet Soup warm or at room temperature.
STORAGE
The fennel velvet soup should be consumed as soon as it’s prepared; if there are leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container for up to 2 days or alternatively freeze them (keeps for about 15 days).
NOTES AND TIPS
VEGETABLE BROTH: To cook Fennel and Potatoes, I used a vegetable broth that adds flavor to the vegetables. I recommend preparing it at home, but if you don’t have the time, you can purchase ready-made broth found in the supermarket in cartons. If you use a ready-made broth, it’s important to choose a delicate one without additives, so it has an intense aftertaste.
VARIATIONS: To make the fennel velvet soup light yet tasty, it’s important to brown the vegetables in the pot with the onion. If you want to enrich it, you can add cubes of bacon or pancetta. If you wish, you can add grated or shaved Parmesan cheese before serving the fennel cream.
FAQ
How to make a velvet soup creamy?
To make a velvet soup creamy after cooking the vegetables, blend the ingredients directly in the pot with an immersion blender. Then check the creaminess, and if the consistency is too thick, add more hot broth.
What are the benefits of fennel?
Fennel contains many healthful principles for our body: it is recommended against stomach heaviness, colitis, and also has antiflatulent activity.
What to put on top of a velvet soup?
You can serve the FENNEL VELVET SOUP with bread croutons or slices of toasted bread, a drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil, and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan.
What spices to put in velvet soups?
Spices in velvet soups and in fennel soup in particular add not only color but also taste. Recommended spices are turmeric, saffron, and sweet paprika.
