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FENNEL PUMPKIN SOUP

Hometown Recipes for the Holidays
"I created this recipe for Thanksgiving. It is fast and easy—a blessing in itself for holiday meal preparations—and it tastes like a gourmet soup from a nice restaurant"
Margee Berry, Trout Lake, Washington
Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and chopped
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 4 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• One 16-ounce can pumpkin
• 2 teaspoons chopped thyme leaves
• Salt
• 2 cups chopped fresh shiitake mushroom caps
• 2 ounces Parmesan

Directions

1. Heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the fennel and onions and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 15 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat.

2. Combine the fennel mixture, 1 cup of the chicken broth, and the pumpkin in a blender. Puree, tightly covered, until smooth, scraping down the sides occasionally with a rubber spatula.

3. Return the fennel mixture to the pan and add the remaining 2 cups broth and the thyme. Cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt.

4. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining i teaspoon olive oil and tilt the skillet to lightly coat the bottom. Add the mushroom caps and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

5. To serve, spoon the soup into individual bowls and sprinkle with the chopped mushrooms. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the Parmesan over each serving.

Tips From Our Test Kitchen
You'll need about 5 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms to yield 2 cups chopped mushroom caps.