The flavor was delicate, and I loved this soup. When I made it, I doubled the amount of garlic. I am a huge fan of fresh fennel, fresh basil, and garbonzo beans.
However, if someone did not enjoy even one of these ingredients, they would not like this soup.
I found that 1 cup chopped fresh basil is equal to about four ounces. Be sure to chop the fennel and the onion; being lazy here makes the soup look rather sloppy (this happened to me). Also, this soup makes 17 cups, so the 6 servings is a generous estimate.
(Per 1 cup, there are 125 calories, 2 g fat, 21 g carb, 6 g fiber and 6 g protien).
This soup is wonderful! I halved it and still had way plenty for 2 of us for 3 meals. I couldn't get dried garbanzos, so I used canned (1 large or 2 regular size). To accommodate this change, I sautéed the onions, red pepper and fennel for a few minutes in a little olive oil, then added 4 cups of veg broth and simmered for 15. I added the canned beans (juice and all) and the tomato/garlic/basil mixture and finished for 5 minutes. Not only does this work well, it takes far less time and planning! I'll make this again for my vegetarian friends.
Oh my goodness! This was so delicious I'm almost at a loss for words. My boyfriend the soup junkie is my litmus test for soup recipes and he loved this. I'm not sure I'd agree with other reviewers that you wouldn't like this if you didn't like fennel--I thought the flavors blended seamlessly with no one taste standing out. However if you don't have fresh basil and/or fennel don't even think about substituting dried; it wouldn't even be close to the same stew.
I agree with previous reviewer - if you don't like fennel garbanzo beans or basil you are not going to like this. Fortunately I do and I liked this alot. I was surprised how well the flavors complemented each other especially the fennel and peas. Oh to save time I used canned chick peas and I also added a little V8 tomato juice for more flavor. Thanks Ornery!
I love this! It has such a nice home-made taste and something that I'd pay for at a restaurant. It did make too much though so I'll half it next time since my kids won't eat this (only the required bite to try it). My first time cooking with fennel and found a youtube video easily on how to cut it up. I bought fresh basil and am glad I did it was wonderful! This is a perfect addition as a side to a meat or alone with bread.
Yum. Very tasty. I didn't follow the exact portions, and it turned out really easy. I used canned chick peas and tomatoes, and leeks instead of onion. Also served with a scoop of rice in the bowl.
Altered the recipe slightly by adding more garlic reducing broth and using canned tomatoes (which have more flavor than fresh this time of year). I also added a small quantity of ham to add a smoky flavor. I can't wait to make this for my Bible study group!
Very different but totally interesting. At first I was not sure what to expect but it turned out well. This recipe is great as is and for me is an absolute keeper.
This was my first time cooking fennel which I got from my CSA and I was unsure if I would like it. I used canned garbanzos so I used just a quart of (homemade) veggie broth and there was plenty of liquid for a stew-like feel. I also sauteed the fennel and onions before putting them in the pot. The recipe didn't list pepper but I used generous amounts of both salt and pepper as I was using homemade broth and fresh tomatoes. Overall I liked this OK although it didn't wow me with deliciousness. I'm pondering sprinkling some parm. cheese to give it a little something extra. Oh and I served it with brown rice.
I wanted to like it but the fennel was too overpowering.
