Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Aromatics and Base
- 450 g fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 150 g leek, sliced
- 3 garlic, minced
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil, liquid
- 2 g whole fennel seeds, lightly crushed
Potatoes and Simmering Liquid
- 300 g yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced into 1 cm cubes
- 950 ml low-sodium vegetable broth, liquid
- 1.2 g fine sea salt, dry
- ½ g ground white pepper, ground
Finishing and Garnish
- 10 ml fresh lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 5 g fennel fronds, finely chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
Only basic nutrition values are available for this recipe. More detailed nutrient data is incomplete.
- Calories
- 190 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbohydrates
- 29 g
- Fat
- 8 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Trim the tough stalks and core from 600g of fennel bulbs, reserving 5g of bright green fronds for garnish, then slice the remaining 450g of bulb thinly against the grain using a chef's knife on a cutting board.
Trim the root end and dark green leaves from the leek, halve the white and pale green portion lengthwise, wash thoroughly under cold running water to eliminate trapped grit, and slice crosswise into thin half-rounds using a chef's knife.
Peel 350g of Yukon Gold potatoes with a vegetable peeler to yield 300g of flesh, and slice into uniform 1 cm cubes with a chef's knife.
Peel the 3 cloves of garlic and mince finely on the cutting board.
Set the Dutch oven over medium-low heat at 120°C (248°F), pour in 30 ml of extra virgin olive oil, add the sliced fennel and leek, and sweat gently for 8 minutes without browning.
Add the 3 minced garlic cloves and 2g of crushed fennel seeds to the Dutch oven, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon for 1 minute until fragrant.
Pour in 950 ml of low-sodium vegetable broth and add the 300g of diced Yukon Gold potatoes, 1.2g fine sea salt, and 0.5g ground white pepper, stirring with the wooden spoon to combine.
Bring the liquid to a gentle boil, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer at 95°C (203°F), cover with the lid slightly ajar, and cook for 20 minutes until the potato dice are thoroughly tender.
Carefully ladle the warm cooked mixture into a high-speed blender in batches, secure the lid with the center cap vented and covered with a clean kitchen towel to release steam, and puree on high speed for 90 seconds until glossy and completely smooth.
Pour the pureed soup through a fine-mesh sieve set over an airtight container or clean pot, using the back of a wooden spoon to press the velvet liquid through while catching any remaining coarse fibrous strands.
Stir 10 ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice into the warm strained soup with a wooden spoon to heighten acidity and brighten the anise notes.
If serving warm, ladle immediately into heated bowls; if serving cold, nestle the airtight container into an ice-water bath to cool below 4°C (40°F) within 2 hours before chilling in the refrigerator, then garnish with the reserved 5g minced fennel fronds prior to serving.
Chef's Notes
- Yukon Gold potatoes contain medium starch and generous natural pectin, providing the rich velvet mouthfeel of heavy cream without introducing dairy or dulling the ethereal anise bouquet.
- Lightly toasting whole crushed fennel seeds in the olive oil releases anethole, the aromatic volatile essential oil that amplifies the natural licorice character of the fresh fennel bulb.
- Rapid cooling in an ice-water bath before refrigeration locks in the light spring-green color and prevents the retrogradation of potato starches, ensuring a pristine texture when served cold.
- When served cold, culinary liquids require slightly higher acidity and salt perception than when served warm; always taste chilled soup right before plating.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container at or below 4°C (40°F). Cool in an ice bath first if chilling for cold service.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze in rigid airtight containers leaving 2 cm of headspace for liquid expansion. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat over medium-low heat in a saucepan, stirring constantly until steaming and an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F) is reached. Whisk in 30 to 60 ml of water or stock if the soup thickened in storage.
Troubleshooting
Soup texture feels stringy or gritty rather than silky
Cause: Tough exterior fibers of the fennel bulb were not broken down by the blender blades
Fix: Pass the entire batch of soup through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing firmly with a ladle to extract only the silken liquid
Prevention: Slice fennel bulb very thinly across the grain and blend at maximum speed for a full 90 seconds
Soup tastes flat or overly sweet when consumed cold
Cause: Cold temperatures suppress salt perception and highlight vegetable sugars from fennel and leek
Fix: Whisk in an extra 2 to 5 ml of fresh lemon juice and 0.2g of salt to revive aromatics
Prevention: Chill a small test portion and taste while cold before final service
Soup is too thin or watery after blending
Cause: Excess stock was added or the pot was tightly sealed during simmering, preventing moisture reduction
Fix: Return strained soup to the Dutch oven and simmer gently over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes to reduce to desired consistency
Prevention: Simmer with the lid slightly ajar and adhere strictly to the 950 ml broth measurement
Cultural Context
This dish is a modern plant-forward reimagining of classic French vichyssoise, originally popularized in the early twentieth century by chef Louis Diat at the Ritz-Carlton. By replacing heavy dairy with olive oil and highlighting Mediterranean fennel, this recipe pays homage to Provençal herb veloutés that transition gracefully between cozy spring dinners and chilled summer lunches.
