Carrot And Shallot Soup with Bronze Fennel Cream

This recipe is adapted from the Chez Panisse Menu Cookbook. Chez Panisse is a Berkeley, California restaurant, known as one of the originators of the farm-to-table movement, opened and owned by Alice Waters.

serves 2

Ingredients
2 large shallots
1.5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 lb carrots
1 quart chicken stock, enough to barely cover the carrots
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 to 2 tbsp minced bronze fennel

Instructions
Mince the shallots fine and melt them in the butter in a heavy soup pot over low heat. While they are cooking, peel and roughly chop the carrots. Add the carrots to the shallots at sweat them together (cook on very low heat) for about 10 minutes. Stir, and add just enough chicken stock to barely cover and cook until the carrots are just tender. Puree the soup throughly with an immersion blender (or regular blender).

To serve, heat the soup for 5 minutes over low heat, but do not allow to simmer. Season to taste. Whip the heavy cream and flavor it with your bronze fennel, salt, and pepper to taste. Serve the soup in bowls and float a little whipped cream on top.