Tomato Fennel Soup Recipe

Tomato Fennel Soup

Photo Credit: Jon Sullivan

*Cooking oil                                        (2 tsp./10 ml)

Chopped fennel bulb (white part only)  (2 cups/500 ml)

Chopped onion                                    (1 cup/250 ml)

Minced garlic cloves                            (2 cloves)

**Chopped tomatoes                          (28 oz./796 ml)

(any kind, as long as they 

are sweet and delicious!)

Chicken stock                                     (2 cups/500 ml)

Balsamic vinegar                                 (2 tsp./10 ml)

***Granulated sugar                           (1 tsp./5 ml)

Salt                                                     (1/2 tsp./2 ml)

Pepper                                                (1/4 tsp/1 ml)

*I used olive oil. I don't use any other cooking oil. Works every time.

**The recipe actually calls for a can of diced tomatoes (with juice), but if tomatoes are in season, for pete's sake, use those please!

***I halved this recipe, as it is designed to serve six and I only wanted to serve three. It worked perfectly, three medium-sized bowls of soup. I used one sugar cube (I don't have loose sugar as I don't bake). So two sugar cubes would work for the full recipe.

1. Heat cooking oil in large saucepan on medium.

2. Add fennel, onion, and garlic. Cook for approx. 10  minutes, stirring often, until onion and fennel are softened.

3. Add tomatoes, chicken stock, balsamic vinegar, granulated sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir. Bring to a boil.

4. Simmer, partially covered, for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fennel is tender.

5. Carefully process in blender until smooth.

6. Makes about 6 cups.

7. Eat and enjoy.

Tomatoes of the Tiny Variety

Here's some visual goodies for you:
Conchita Cherry Tomatoes at the East Van Farmers Market. Courtesy of Celyddon Farms, Delta, BC. Fantastic people, great products, first and currently only tomatoes of the season! I highly recommend.

Prawns, Garlic, & Tomatoes

Prawns, Garlic, & Tomatoes 

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Tomatoes (4)

Salt & Pepper

Olive oil (6 tbsp/3 fl oz/90 ml)

Prawns (1 lb/500 g, peeled and deveined)

Garlic (1 tbsp, finely chopped)

Sherry vinegar (1 tbsp)

Fresh parsley (2 tbsp, chopped)

Cayenne pepper (dash)

*I served this dish with brown rice. I recommend you do as well or else it is just will not be hearty enough.

1. Preheat the oven to 450 F (230 C).

2. Cut the tomatoes in half and place cut side up in a shallow baking dish (I just used a regular cookie sheet. What exactly is a "shallow baking dish" anyways?) Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with 2 tbsp of olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes.

3. About 3 minutes before the tomatoes are finished, in a saute pan over high heat, warm 1 tbsp of the olive oil. Add the prawns and salt and pepper to taste and saute until pink and firm, 2-3 minutes. (I personally would give more for this step. More like 6-8 minutes.)

4. Transfer the baked tomatoes to individual plates. Place the prawns on top of the tomatoes.

5. In a small saucepan over high heat, combined the garlic and remaining olive oil and saute until the garlic turns golden brown, about 1 minute. Add the vinegar and deglaze the pan by stirring to dislodge any browned bits, about 30 seconds. Pour the contents of the pan equally over each serving. Sprinkle with parsley and cayenne. Serve immediately, nice and hot! 

(If you follow my blog, you may remember this step crashed and burned almost too literally. The garlic  burnt, the vinegar burnt into thin air, thus leaving me with nothing. So, if you find yourself in the same situation-or are too scared to even try step 5-just follow steps 1-4, then drizzle a little bit of sherry vinegar and spread a small amount of raw minced garlic or store-bought crushed Asian garlic on top of each dish evenly while food is hot, right before serving..)

Serves 4. (More like 3).

The Perfect Breakfast