Chilled Yellow Pepper and Fennel Soup

Ingredients

  • 8 yellow peppers
  • 1 cup leeks, white part only
  • 2 fennel bulbs
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 1/4 cup Ricard or Pernod
  • 4 cups milk
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • salt, to taste
  • white pepper, to taste
  • 8 ounces crème fraiche
  • 1/4 cup chives, chopped

Directions

  1. Cut one fennel bulb into half inch strips, blanch in boiling salted water and reserve.
  2. Cut the other fennel bulb, tops and scraps, into one inch pieces. Clean and slice leeks and peppers discarding stems and seeds. In a heavy pot, add olive oil, julienned peppers, leeks and fennel. Over low heat, slowly cook vegetables until very tender without creating any color, about 20 to 30 minutes. Add white wine and Ricard and turn heat up to medium high, cooking until liquid is almost evaporated. Add milk and simmer for 15 minutes.
  3. Remove from heat and allow soup to cool for about half an hour. Add soup to blender in batches and puree smooth. Push soup through a medium strainer discarding vegetable pulp.
  4. Add cream and adjust seasoning. Chill well. Serve in cold bowls garnish with a tablespoon of crème fraiche and chopped chives.

 

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