A Homemade Life: Tomato Soup with Two Fennels

The heatwave finally broke this week.  YAY!  We actually had fall weather.  And rain.  It was all dark and moody here. 

The bad news is, the heatwave is supposed to return this weekend.  BOO! 

It's not so much that I mind warm weather, but as a child of the East Coast I'm used to having to wear a winter jacket over my Halloween costume.  I'm not used to 90 degree weather in October!  It just doesn't jive with my favorite fall foods.

The cooler weather was a perfect excuse for soup for dinner.  And while fresh summer tomatoes make for fantastic tomato soups, this one utilizes canned tomatoes, making it more fitting for colder months.  I actually think the fennel adds a flavor that is best enjoyed in the winter, but a wet and stormy night will have to do for the time being.

Tomato Soup with Two Fennels (From A Homemade Life)

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 yellow onion, quartered and thinly sliced

2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed, quartered from root to stalk, and thinly sliced

4 medium cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves

2 tsp fennel seeds

2 28oz cans whole peeled tomatoes

water

3/4 tsp salt

sugar

red wine vinegar

1. In a large pot, warm the oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and fennel and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion just starts to soften, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently until the onion is translucent and very soft, 5 to 8 minutes more.
3. Add the thyme and fennel seeds and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
4. Using your hand to hold back the tomatoes, pour the liquid from the tomato cans into the pot.  Stir well.  Crush the tomatoes in their cans, using your hands to tear and mash them into small chunks. Add the tomatoes to the pot.
5.   Fill 1 empty tomato can with cold water and pour it in, too.  Bring to a boil.  Then adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook, uncovered, for about 45 minutes.
6. Add the salt, taste and adjust as needed.  
7. If the tomatoes need a little sweetness, add a pinch or two of sugar.  If it is too bland, add a small splash of vinegar.