Roasted Fennel Soup with Cranberries & Hazelnuts Recipes

La Cunina Italiana Magazine is one of my favorite magazines. As a total lover of Italian food, what is not to like? In my quest to find a good Thanksgiving starter, I found spotted this recipes. I love the taste of fennel.

Adapted from La Cucina Italiana Magazine, November, 2009 issue.

Ingredients:
8 large fennel bulbs - trimmed and cut into 8 wedges
3 large Spanish onions - trimmer and cut into 8 wedges
4 large sprigs rosemary
1/4 cup olive oil - plus more for drizzling
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
10 cups low sodium chicken stock
1/4 cup chopped dried cranberries
1/4 cup roughly chopped lightly toasted hazelnuts

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375-degrees F. In a large bowl, combine fennel, onions, rosemary and olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper. Toss to evenly coat. Transfer to baking sheet, and place in hot oven. Stir once and rotate pans halfway though until the vegetables are golden brown - about 40 minutes.

2. Discard rosemary, and transfer vegetables to large pot. Add stock and bring to a boil - then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook soup until flavors meld - about 35 minutes.

3. Carefully puree soup in batches until smooth. Return soup to pot and gently heat until warmed through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with cranberries, hazelnuts and drizzle of olive oil.

serves 8-10