Squash, Fennel, and Leek Soup

There is no winter without soup and we are usually somehow stuck with the same few soups we make every year, as soon as the outside starts to cool down.  

Sometimes you feel like having some colors and surprises and this is how this soup was born – from three simple, surprising, and very tasty vegetables! The combination between them creates a rich and sweet taste with a perfect texture, just what it takes when it rains!  

Along with the wonderful taste also comes great nutritional benefits – a great way to strengthen the immune system of young and old. In case you are worried about the taste of the fennel, do not worry! The cooking makes it delicate and sweet. 

INGREDIENTS 

(Ingredients for 6 servings) 

2-3 tablespoons olive oil 

1 leek, slice 

6-8 cloves of garlic, slices 

1 squash, cut into cubes 

1 carrot, sliced 

½ head celery, cut into cubes 

1 fennel, sliced 

¼ cup dry white wine 

1/3 teaspoon brown sugar 

2-3 bay leaves 

Fresh leaves from 2-3 stems of thyme 

3-4 stalks of celery 

½ bunch parsley 

½ teaspoon grated nutmeg 

Salt, freshly ground black pepper 

About ½ to 1 liter of water or vegetable stock 

(Garnish) Chopped green onion 

PREPARATION 

1. Pour olive oil into a large pot and heat over a medium-high flame. Fry and mix the leeks and sliced garlic for 2-3 minutes, until lightly softened. 

2. Add the rest of the vegetables, white wine, and sugar. Continue to fry and mix for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are slightly charred and their color strengthens. 

3. Add bay leaves, thyme leaves, parsley, and celery stalks to the pot and season with salt and black pepper. Pour vegetable broth or water to cover and bring to a boil. 

4. Lower the flame, cover the pot, and cook for about an hour until all the vegetables are tender.  

5. Remove the bay leaves, parsley, and celery from the pot. Grind with a stick blender until smooth.  

6. Pour into serving bowls, sprinkle with green onions, and serve. 

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Shuki Galili has been marketing online and has been editing the Humus101 blog for the masses since 2006. He has served in editorial roles and as a reporter for technology and food in the daily press, news sites, and print. He is one of the founding generations of the Internet in Israel and has been involved in the establishment, development and promotion (SEO) of dozens of websites and blogs, many of them related to social activity.