Wild Fennel + Pumpkin Soup

Prep time: 30 minutes

Storage: Up to 3 days in the fridge. Freeze up to 3 months in sealed container

Serves: 6 – 8  depending on serving size

Ingredients:

1 small bunch of wild fennel new shoots

1 fresh whole butternut pumpkin de-skinned and chopped into small chunks

2 brown onions diced

250ml sour cream optional (leave out for vegan)

Fennel flowers to garnish if available

2 tbsp Wild Fennel seeds

1 litre of Vegan chicken style liquid stock. (We use an organic vegan ‘chicken’ style one as it gives the soup a very rich flavour)

Salt & pepper to taste

Method

1.Wash and chop your wild fennel shoots including the dill like leaves.

2.Add wild fennel, chopped pumpkin, onion, stock and water to a large pot and cook on high stirring often.

3.Bring to boil then add 1 tbsp of the fennel seeds, keeping the remainder for garnish.

4.Turn heat down and simmer until pumpkin is very soft. Test with a fork.

5.Add sour cream, salt & pepper to taste then blend with a stick mixer

6.Ladle into bowls, or like me you can use tea cups for a quirky aesthetic, then sprinkle with a few wild fennel seeds or flowers if you have them available.