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Fennel and almond soup with green olive smash

Name: Fennel and almond soup with green olive smash
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 tsp fennel seeds; 2 tbs olive oil; 1 onion, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 2 fennel bulbs, finely chopped; 1 celery stalk, finely chopped; 3/4 cup (90g) almond meal; 700ml vegetable stock, heated; 1 cup (130g) large green olives, pitted; 1/4 cup (50g) salted capers, rinsed, drained; 1 garlic clove; 1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle; 2 tbs lemon juice; 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped

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Fennel & almond soup with green olive smash

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by David Prior

delicious. contributor

Oct 08, 2015

Creamy, elegant fennel soup is made even better with a garnish of salty smashed olives and capers.

2 tsp fennel seeds
2 tbs olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 fennel bulbs, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
3/4 cup (90g) almond meal
700ml vegetable stock, heated

Olive smash

1 cup (130g) large green olives, pitted
1/4 cup (50g) salted capers, rinsed, drained
1 garlic clove
1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
2 tbs lemon juice
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped

Method

1.

Heat a large frypan over medium heat. toast fennel seeds for 2 minutes, stirring, until fragrant. Add the olive oil and heat for 1 minute, then add the onion, garlic, fennel and celery. Increase the heat to high and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until just tender, then add almond meal and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Pour over hot stock, reduce heat to medium, then simmer for 5 minutes. Season to taste. Cool slightly, then puree with a hand blender, or in batches in a blender, until smooth.
2.

Meanwhile, for the olive smash, pound the olives, capers and garlic in a mortar and pestle to a coarse paste. Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, then add the olive mixture and stir for 1-2 minutes until just heated through. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice, parsley and remaining oil.
3.

Pass the soup through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan, then stir over medium heat for 1-2 minutes to warm through.
4.

Serve the soup in warmed bowls, topped with olive smash and a drizzle of oil.