This winter staple will warm your heart!
Ingredients
- 2 Tbl spoon Fennel Seeds – Toasted & Ground
- 2 Tbl spoon Coriander Seeds – Toasted & Ground
- 3 Bay Leaves
- 1 Ham Hock
- Butter/Olive Oil (as needed)
- 4 Lg. Yellow Onions – Rough Chop
- 3 Lg. Jumbo Carrots- Rough Chop
- 2 Celery Hearts – Rough Chop
- 4 Lg. Garlic Cloves – Minced
- 2 Cup Tomato Paste
- 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
- 2 – #10 Cans San Marzano Style Tomatoes
- 3 Dried Poblanos, Reconstituted & Veined (reserve water)
- 1 Cup Orange Juice Concentrate
- 2 Qts Vegetable Stock
- 2 Cup Creme Fraiche
- 2 Bunches of Fresh Basil – Chopped Fine
- 1 Bunch of Fresh Thyme – Chopped Fine
Directions
Place ham hock, butter and/or olive oil in a large stock pot. On medium heat, add onions, carrots & celery and sweat until softened. Add garlic and saute a couple of minutes but do not brown. Add tomato paste and cook about 20 minutes, stirring vegetables and garlic throughout.
Add sugar, tomatoes, peppers, and pepper water along w/ orange juice & stock.
Reduce heat and simmer for 90 minutes and check seasoning. Adjust if necessary, then add creme fraiche and take off the heat.
Using a blender or a hand stick blender, carefully puree all to soup consistency. Then stir in fresh herbs and serve. Yield about 2 gallons.
Serve hot w/ a dollop of creme fraiche or some of our grated cheddar and our homemade crostini.