Ingredients

4 T butter

1/2 cup onion, diced

2 quarts chopped mushrooms, use a blend

1/4 cup fennel, sliced

1/2 carrot, peeled, sliced

2 cloves garlic, smashed

2 T tomato paste

1/2 T each fresh chopped sage and thyme

1 medium yukon gold potato, peeled, diced

1 tsp fennel seed, toasted, ground

1 cup dry marsala

2 quarts chicken stock

salt and pepper totaste

Preparation

  1. in a soup pot, over med heat, cook onion in butter until softened.
  2. add fennel, mushrooms, and carrot and cook until mushrooms are soft and a littled browned, raising heat if needed.
  3. add garlic and cook another minute, then stir in tomato paste, herbs, potato, fennel seed and salt and pepper.
  4. deglaze with marsala, reducing by half, then add stock.
  5. simmer until potatoes are very soft.
  6. puree thoroughly in a blender and season to taste.