Cream Of Fennel Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 heads fennel (with leaves)
juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
1 1/2 oz. butter (40 g)
1 1/2 oz. flour (40 g)
1 pt. chicken stock (600 ml)
1 pt. milk (300 ml)
1/2 tsp. mace
salt and pepper
a little chopped parsley
sprigs of fennel for garnish

Preparation

Trim and wash the fennel.
Cut in into quarters and cook it in boiling salted water with lemon juice until tender (30 minutes). Drain and roughly slice fennel.
Melt butter in a large saucepan and saute the fennel in it for a few minutes.
Stir in the flour, then add half the stock, milk, mace, seasoning and parsley.
Puree the soup.
Pour the soup back into the saucepan, add the remaining stock and milk and bring to a boil.
Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes.
Serve hot garnished with chopped parsley and fennel sprig.
Serves 4.