Fennel and Comice Pear Soup

Ingredients

• 8 servings pepper black freshly ground
• 2 tablespoons butter 
• 4 cups chicken broth 
• 2  fennel bulbs fresh
• 2  comice pears peeled coarsely chopped ( and )
• 8 servings salt 
• 8 servings pepper white
• 1  onion yellow chopped ()

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• ladle
• blender

Directions

1. Trim base and stalks from fennel bulbs, reserving a few leaves for garnish. Coarsely chop bulbs.
2. In a medium pan, combine chopped fennel, onion, butter, and 2 tbsp. water; cover and cook over medium-high heat until vegetables are limp, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Add pears and chicken broth; cover and simmer until pears are soft, about 5 minutes. Pure the mixture in a blender, in batches if necessary.
4. Return soup to pan to reheat. If it's too thick, add a little more broth. Season with salt and white pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with fennel fronds and freshly ground black pepper.