Vegetarian Cream of Fennel Soup

Make sure you roast the spices - in a pinch you can, of course, use pre-ground spices, but roasting them yourself intensifies the flavor a lot and really makes a difference in flavor.

Ingredients

• 2 star anise
• 2 cardamom pods
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• olive oil
• 4 bulbs fennel, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 leek, sliced
• salt to taste
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 5 cups vegetable broth

Steps

1. Combine star anise, cardamom pods, and coriander seeds in a large skillet over medium heat and roast without burning until fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a mortar and pestle, and crush into powder form.
2. Heat olive oil in a large pot and cook fennel, onion, and leek until softened, about 5 minutes. Season with ground spice mix and salt, cover, and simmer over medium heat until flavors are well combined, about 25 minutes. Pour in white wine and cook until wine has reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in vegetable broth and simmer for 10 minutes. Puree fennel soup with an immersion blender until smooth. Add cream and heat, but do not let boil. Season with salt.