Recipe of the week: Apple and fennel soup

“Explore a new side of apples this fall,” said Catherine Lamb in Food52.com. As great as they are in pies, cobblers, and a hundred other sweets, “these autumn beauties deserve a chance to shine in a whole new part of your palate.” Use them in a tangy relish, shred them into a savory slaw, or puree them to create a lovely Indian-summer soup, like this one.

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 large shallot, diced

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1 garlic clove, minced

1 large bulb fennel, cored, cut into ½-inch chunks

2 or 3 small, tart apples, cut into ½-inch chunks

2 stalks celery, sliced in ½-inch pieces, leaves included

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp honey or sugar

½ tsp kosher salt

3 cups chicken stock

1 cup watercress

3 tbsp chopped fresh mint

1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

2 tbsp chopped fennel fronds

½ cup heavy cream

Melt butter over medium heat in an 8-quart saucepan. Add shallot and garlic and sweat for 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant and translucent. Add fennel, apple, celery, lemon juice, honey (or sugar), salt, and chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until everything is very tender and cooked through.

Remove from heat and toss in the greens and herbs. Puree the soup in two batches, after which you can either return it to the pot or pass it through a mesh sieve for a more refined texture. Stir in the cream and adjust the seasoning to taste. Garnish with chopped mint, fennel, and thyme. Serves 4.