the pollen count

Since I spent New Year’s Eve with a box of Kleenex, herb tea and my Neti pot it seemed a good idea to make some healthy soup to kick off 2017. Last year I started a soup detox which changed my life so I am creating some new soup recipes to add to my collection.
The first step was to bravely peek into my refrigerator and figure out what was heading straight to the compost and what might make an interesting soup! I ended up with a pile of amazing vegetables that inspired two different soups. The first one is a variation on Potato Mushroom Leek soup since I had two leeks and a box of needing-to-be-used-immediately mushrooms. I added a fennel bulb (also sold as anise), some Yukon gold potatoes, white sweet potatoes and a Granny Smith apple. This may seem like a strange combination but, trust me, it is so much more flavorful than mere Potato Leek soup. You have to try this! Slightly sweet from the fennel and apple with the mushrooms and potatoes making a rich broth, this is going in my own Soup Cookbook which I hope to publish in this lifetime😀
If you try this please let me know what you think as I love feedback on my recipes. Also, I need a shorter name for this soup so am open to suggestions!

RECIPE for Mushroom Fennel Apple Potato Leek Soup

• 8 oz mushrooms, wiped clean
• 5 – 6 medium/small Yukon gold potatoes
• 2 small white sweet potatoes

• 2 medium leeks, rinsed well
• 1 small Fennel (or anise) bulb
• 1 small green apple ( like Granny Smith) peeled & chopped

• 1 TBSP olive oil or butter
• 8 cups vegetable (or chicken) stock-low sodium or water
• 2 tsp mushroom powder (portabella or porcini) – I got mine on Amazon

• 1/4 cup sherry or Reisling white wine
• 1 tsp Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (optional)
• 1 tsp dried thyme or 2 tsp fresh
• 1 bay leaf
• salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Finely chop the washed leeks & Fennel (anise) bulb.

Scrub clean, do not peel, & dice  Yukon potatoes into 1″ cubes.

Peel white sweet potatoes & cubed into 1″ pieces.

Chop the mushrooms & peel & cube the apple.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven & add the leeks & Fennel. Saute until they soften a bit, then add the mushrooms & continue cooking until mushrooms are completely cooked.

Pour in the sherry or wine & stir it into the mixture, scraping bottom with a wooden spoon to incorporate anything sticking to bottom of the pot.

Add both kinds of potatoes & the chopped apple. Add the stock & stir it all together.

Add Bragg’s, thyme, and salt & pepper, turn heat to low simmer & cook for 30-40 minutes until potatoes are tender.

Turn off heat & let soup sit for at least an hour, the longer it sits the more the flavors will meld together. You could make it & refrigerate overnight & serve the next day to really maximize the flavors!

Reheat soup, ladle into bowls & garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme and some freshly grated Parmesan if you are not vegan.

Serve with a hearty bread to sop up every bit of  this delicious soup😋