Creamy Fennel and White Bean Soup

This recipe is adapted from Tuesday Night from Milk Street

Ingredients:

8 oz Sausage or Bacon, (Vegetarian, 2 T Infused Olive Oil)

2 Medium Onions, finely chopped

1 Fennel Bulb, trimmed and finely chopped

5 Cloves Garlic, peeled and smashed

2 tsp Fennel Seeds, ground

3 15.5 oz cans Cannellini Beans

5 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth (Vegetarian, Vegetable Broth)

4" sprig of Rosemary

3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 Tablespoons Scallions, finely chopped

Salt and Pepper

Lemon Wedges (optional)

For a one pot meal, cook your Sausage or Bacon fully (For Vegetarian heat your infused oil). Transfer cooked Sausage/Bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Keep 2 Tablespoons of fat in the pot.

Add your flavor deepeners, Onions, Fennel, Garlic and Fennel Seeds, to the pot and cook over medium low until tender. (8 min) Set aside 1 1/2 cups of beans and add the remainder to the pot along with the Broth, Rosemary sprig, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes on medium-low.

Discard Rosemary sprig. Let the soup cool slightly. Transfer about 1/3 of the soup to a blender, add 1 T of oil and puree until smooth. Repeat with the remaining 2/3 of the soup in batches. (Or use your immersion blender!) Add the remainder of the beans and meat and heat through, about 10 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper. To serve, drizzle with olive oil, garnish with bacon, scallions with a lemon wedge on the side.