Fennel cream soup with shrimp skewers

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 2 fennel bulb(s), approx. 600 g
• 1 large shallot(s)
• some olive oil
• 800 ml fish stock
• 100 ml white wine
• 200 ml cream
• 1 m.-large bay leaf
• 1 star anise
• salt and pepper
• Noilly Prat
• 20 shrimp(s), ready to cook
• possibly crème fraîche

Instructions

Working time approx. 25 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 25 minutes; Total time approx. 50 minutes

Clean the fennel bulbs, set the green parts aside, and cut the bulbs into coarse strips. Peel and roughly dice the shallot. Sauté both in olive oil until translucent. Add the stock, wine, and cream. Also the bay leaf, star anise, and salt. Cover and simmer for about 20-25 minutes. The fennel should soften. In the meantime, arrange the shrimp on 4 skewers and season. When the fennel is tender, remove the bay leaf and star anise, purée the soup, and season with salt, pepper, and Noilly Prat. At the same time, fry the shrimp skewers on both sides. Ladle the soup into bowls. If you like, add a dollop of crème fraîche and arrange the fennel greens and shrimp skewers on top. Note: Although I don’t usually like fennel, I could drink this soup; it tastes so good. In combination with star anise and Noilly Prat, the fennel flavor is not too dominant.