Fennel cream – soup à la Marquise

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 tbsp butter
• ½ onion(s), finely chopped
• 400 g fennel, cleaned, weighed, cut into fine strips
• 250 g potato(s), floury, peeled, weighed, cut into thin slices
• 750 ml vegetable stock
• 3 tbsp mascarpone
• 1 tbsp Pernod
• e.g. ham, Italian (prosciutto)

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Total time approx. 15 minutes

Heat the butter in a large pan and sauté the onion. Add the fennel and potatoes and sauté briefly. Add the vegetable stock, bring to a boil, and simmer until the vegetables are tender. Purée with a hand blender. Add the Pernod and mascarpone and wait until the mascarpone has melted. Season with salt and pepper and thin with a little stock, if desired. Serve with fresh baguette. If you like, sprinkle the soup with crispy fried prosciutto strips before serving.