Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 small leek, white part only, thinly sliced
- 1 large carrot, thinly sliced
- 1 bulb of fennel, sliced
- 200 g swede, cubed
- 200 g potato, peeled and cubed
- 1 bay leaf
- several sprigs of fresh thyme
- several sprigs of fresh flat–leaf parsley
- 600 ml vegetable stock, preferably homemade
- 1 can chopped tomatoes, about 400 g
- salt and pepper
- fennel leaves (from the bulb, above) or snipped fresh chives to garnish
Preparation
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan.
- Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until softened but not browned.
- Add the leek, carrot, fennel, swede and potato, and cook for a further 5 minutes or until slightly softened.
- Tie the bay leaf, thyme and parsley sprigs together into a bouquet garni.
- Add to the pan, together with the stock and tomatoes with their juice.
- Season to taste and bring to the boil, then cover the pan and reduce the heat.
- Simmer gently for 45 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender.
- Remove the bouquet garni and check the seasoning.
- Sprinkle the soup with snipped fennel leaves or chives and serve piping hot.