Fennel Leek Soup with Fennel Greens

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I really like potato leek soup, but the smell of leeks would permeate my apartment for days. This is a variation on the basic potato leek soup, minus the strong leek smell. The recipe is courtesy of Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.

• 2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and sliced thin
• 1/4 cup of fennel greens, chopped (optional)
  
• 2 leek roots, sliced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 potato, peeled and sliced thin
• 6 cups of vegetable stock
• 2 tablespoons of butter
  
• salt
• white pepper

The key is the vegetable stock. The recipe calls for a quick vegetable stock that includes the fennel trimmings and greens. I am in no mood to start vegetable stock from scratch. So I heat up my basic vegetable stock and add fennel trimmings, fennel greens, leek greens, and potato skin. Cook the stock for about 30 minutes, strain and set aside.

In a large soup pot, melt butter and add fennel, leek, onion potato, and salt. Add a cup of the stock back into the pot. Close the lid and cook for 20 minutes until the fennel is tender. Then add the residual stock and cook for another 10 minutes. Add white pepper to taste. Puree the mixture and garnish with fennel greens.