Tested and Perfected by Food and Wine
Chilled Fennel-Grapefruit Velouté with Lemon Olive Oil
© Con Poulos

Chilled Fennel-Grapefruit Velouté with Lemon Olive Oil

Contributed by
  • ACTIVE: 15 MIN
  • TOTAL TIME: 1 HR
  • SERVINGS: 4
  • •HEALTHY
  • •MAKE-AHEAD
  • •STAFF-FAVORITE
  • •VEGETARIAN

At Sola restaurant in Paris, chef Hiroki Yoshitake cleverly uses grapefruit oil to boost the flavor in his chilled four-ingredient soup. Lemon olive oil is a terrific alternative, and easier to find in the US. The citrus oil is used in two different ways: for sautéing fennel before pureeing it with grapefruit juice, and for garnishing the soup before serving.

  1. 2 tablespoons lemon olive oil (see Note), plus more for garnish
  2. One 1-pound fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced, plus chopped fennel fronds, for garnish
  3. Salt
  4. 3 cups water
  5. 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh grapefruit juice, strained
  6. Pinch of sugar
  1. In a medium saucepan, heat the 2 tablespoons of lemon olive oil. Add the sliced fennel and a pinch of salt, cover and cook over moderately low heat, stirring a few times, until the fennel is softened, about 10 minutes. Add the water and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat until the fennel is very tender, about 20 minutes.
  2. Working in batches, puree the fennel soup in a blender until smooth. Transfer the soup to a medium bowl and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
  3. Stir the grapefruit juice into the fennel soup. Add the sugar to the soup and season with salt. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with a little lemon olive oil and chopped fennel fronds and serve.
Make Ahead The fennel-grapefruit soup can be refrigerated overnight. Notes Olive oil pressed or infused with lemon is available at most supermarkets and specialty food stores.