Barefoot Contessa (en-US)

Good olive oil
2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter
5 cups sliced fennel, tops and cores removed (2 bulbs), fronds reserved
4 cups sliced yellow onions (3 onions)
1½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, 1-inch diced
5 cups good chicken stock, preferably homemade
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Pernod liqueur
1 cup half-and-half
Garnishes for serving, such as Meredith Dairy cheese, cubed creamy goat cheese, croutons, cooked crumbled bacon, and/or cooked pancetta

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the butter in a medium (11-inch) pot or Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset, over medium-low heat. Add the fennel and onions and sauté for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown.

Add the potatoes, chicken stock, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender.

In batches, purée the soup in a food processor fitted with the steel blade until smooth. Pour the soup back into the pot, stir in the Pernod and half-and-half, and taste for seasonings. Reheat over medium-low heat.

Place the garnishes in the middle of large, shallow soup bowls and pour the hot soup around them. Drizzle with olive oil, garnish with the reserved fennel fronds, and serve hot.

Creamy Potato Fennel Soup