Coconut-curry tomato bisque with cumin chicken, fennel-apple relish and garam masala crema

Ingredients

• For the Crema
• sour cream or creme fraiche (Greek yogurt also works nicely)
• garam masala, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, toasted and ground
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted, for garnish
• For the Soup
• 4 teaspoons . Butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 2 ribs celery with leaves, diced
• 1 poblano pepper, diced
• 1 apple, peeled and diced
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1-2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
• 5 cups of stock, broth or water
• 1 cup Thai coconut milk
• 1 cup canned or fresh plum tomatoes
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• salt and pepper to taste
• For the Chicken
• 2-3 cups cooked and shredded chicken
• 1 teaspoon cumin, ground
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• For the Relish
• 1 large fennel bulb, diced
• 1 apple, peeled and diced
• 2 large shallots, sliced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter

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Preparation

• For the Crema:
  Mix sour cream with garam masala, and toasted and ground fennel seeds. Make this an hour or so before serving so the flavors can meld. Keep chilled. Add salt and pepper if desired. In the same skillet you toasted the fennel seeds, toast the sliced almonds. Set aside and use to garnish soup.
• For the Soup:
  In a 2-3 quart pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, poblano pepper and apple. Saute until vegetables are crisp-tender. Sprinkle flour over vegetables and mix well. Cook 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Puree in a blender or food processor. An immersion blender is easiest if you have one.
• For the Chicken:
  In a saute pan, heat olive oil. Add chicken, cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Saute just until chicken is heated through. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm.
• For the Relish:
  In the same saute pan, heat olive oil and butter. Add fennel, apple and shallots. Saute until crisp-tender.
• To Serve:
  Ladle soup into bowls. Top with chicken, then the relish. Spoon a little crema on top and garnish with the toasted almonds.