Easy, different soup

That green, ferny, bulbous thing in the produce section is called fennel, despite the fact that it is sometimes mislabelled as "anise." That name alone could be a turnoff for some, but the flavor of this vegetable is actually a mild anise or licorice flavor, very fresh tasting and sweet. The Italians use it in a variety of ways, raw or grilled in salads, sometimes braised.
Here's an easy soup I made from the River Cafe Cookbook, one of my favorites. It's so easy, I'm just giving basic directions.
Bring 1 1/2 quarts of chicken stock or broth to simmer in large pot. Cut off ferny fronds from four fennel bulbs (you could use less if you like) reserving fronds for later use. Trim base from each bulb and discard. Peel away outer layer of fennel and discard. Wash and slice thinly, then cut into bite size pieces. Place sliced fennel in stock and simmer about 20 minutes, just until tender. Meanwhile, wash reserved fronds and chop. Add to soup when fennel is tender. Add salt and white pepper to taste.
The recipe then calls for garnishing each bowl of soup with a small piece of toasted bread and slice of dry ricotta cheese. But you could also just garnish with a sprinkle of grated Parm and drizzle of good olive oil.
The soup is light, but flavorful. Unusual, but easy. Try it.