Fennel Challenge: Cream of Roasted Fennel Soup with Bacon!

So what to make with that bacon? Honestly, we could just fry up slices and eat it straight. But Charcutepalooza is inspiring me to come up with interesting recipes.

A friend of ours accidentally left some fennel bulbs from the farmers' market in our fridge. Not knowing when we'll see each other next she said to go ahead and use them. Hmmm. I've never cooked with fennel before. Well, here goes nothing!

Ingredients:

2 fennel bulbs, bottom trimmed and stalks cut off reserving leafy tops
1 onion, coursely chopped
olive oil
salt
1/4 lb bacon slices
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
4 cups chicken broth
2 large yukon gold potatoes
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup half and half

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 deg F.
2. Cut fennel bulbs in 1/2" slices. Put fennel and chopped onion on a cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast for 25 minutes or until tender and slightly browned.

3. Divide the bacon in half. Leave one half in slices and cut other half in 1/4" chunks. In a dutch oven cook slices until crispy. Remove slices from heat and put on paper towel to cool. Cook bacon bits in a fry pan until crispy. Put slices on paper towel to cool.
4. In dutch oven with bacon grease from slices add cumin and caraway seeds. Cook until fragrant - about a minute.
5. Add chicken broth, potatoes, fennel and onions to dutch oven. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook on medium high until potatoes are tender. Add bacon chunks, milk and half and half and use an immersion blender or food processor to make soup smooth.
6. Serve with a garnish of bacon slices and fennel leaves.