Tomato Fennel Soup

As summer draws to a close, this Tomato Fennel Soup is the perfect way to make the most of the season’s bounty. If you’re like me and often find yourself with an abundance of ripe tomatoes and fresh fennel from your garden, this soup is a fantastic way to use them up. It’s light yet comforting, making it an excellent choice for those late summer evenings when the air starts to cool.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 fennel bulb, sliced

• 1/2 onion, sliced

• 1 lb ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped

• 1 garlic clove, chopped

• 3/4 cup heavy cream

• A few sprigs of thyme

• Fennel fronds for garnish

• Water, vegetable stock, or chicken stock (enough to barely cover the vegetables)

• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Sauté the Onion: In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onion and cook until translucent.

2. Cook the Fennel and Garlic: Add the sliced fennel bulb and chopped garlic to the pot. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often to prevent the vegetables from browning.

3. Add the Tomatoes: Stir in the chopped tomatoes and cook until they start to release their juices, softening and blending with the other vegetables.

4. Simmer with Thyme: Add the thyme sprigs to the pot. Pour in enough water, vegetable stock, or chicken stock to just barely cover the vegetables. Bring the mixture to a boil.

5. Simmer and Cook: Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and let the soup cook for 30 minutes.

6. Cool and Purée: After cooking, remove the pot from the heat and let the soup cool slightly. Discard the thyme stems. Using an immersion blender, purée the soup until smooth. Alternatively, you can transfer the soup to a blender in small batches, then return it to the pot.

7. Finish with Cream: Place the pot back on the burner over medium-low heat. Stir in the heavy cream and season the soup generously with salt and pepper. Cook for an additional 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.

8. Serve: Ladle the warm soup into bowls and garnish with fresh fennel fronds. Enjoy this flavorful soup as a beautiful celebration of summer's end.