purple soup

     When you join a CSA you agree that you get what the farmer gives you. Type A's beware. Throw your shopping lists out the window. I didn't know how to work this purple cabbage from the winter so it share sat in my fridge for a few days weeks, and all I could think of was soup. Cabbage soup? Boring. Cabbage Fennel Soup with Ginger Anise and Black Mustard Seeds. Delicious! And the color! What a color! 

Purple Cabbage Fennel Soup with Ginger Anise and Fennel Seeds

1 Small Purple Cabbage, chopped

1 Fennel Bulb, chopped

1 Onion, chopped

1 inch grated ginger

1 tsp anise seeds

1 tsp black mustard seeds

Enough Water or vegetable broth to cover

Salt and Pepper

Heat olive oil in a pan. Add anise and black mustard seeds. When they pop add onions and ginger. Add cabbage and fennel. Sautee a few minutes then add water or enough vegetable broth to cover. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then simmer until cabbage and fennel are soft. Puree. Serve warm. 

SIMPLE SHAVED FENNEL SALAD

     I really dislike the flavor of licorice, but I love fresh fennel, from which licorice is derived. It looks like a big white bulb and sometimes the green fennel fronds are still attached. Don't discard the fronds which can be used like any herb to add to salads to soups. Fennel is a really clean tasting, crisp and crunchy vegetable that I usually cut up and eat plain like a carrot or celery stick. One really memorable fennel salad I had at World Pie in the Bridge Hampton was fennel, watercress, blood oranges, shaved parmesan cheese and pistachios. I always recreate it because its such a perfect combination of flavors. The salad pictured here is very simple, just shaved fennel, lemon zest, salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with fennel fronds. A few pistachios wouldn't hurt, either.