Fennel & Chicken Soup With Anchovy Toasts

Recipes & food styling Ginny Grant / Photography Aaron McLean / Styling Jess Hemmings

	ANCHOVY BUTTER
	8 anchovies, plus extra to serve
	100g butter, softened
	2 teaspoons tomato paste
	a pinch chilli flakes
	FOR THE SOUP
	a good pinch saffron (optional)
	a pinch sugar
	2 tablespoons olive oil
	1 onion, sliced
	2 fennel bulbs, sliced, fronds reserved
	1 teaspoon salt
	1.5 litres chicken stock
	400g chicken thigh meat
	200g broad beans, podded, peas or 1 bunch asparagus, sliced
	1 baguette, sliced

1.	ANCHOVY BUTTER
2.	Blitz all the ingredients in a food processor and set aside.
3.	This will make more than you require, but it’s a delicious thing to have in the fridge.
4.	FOR THE SOUP
5.	Using a mortar and pestle, grind the saffron (if using) with a pinch each of salt and sugar until you have a fine powder.
6.	Steep the saffron in ¼ cup water and set aside for 20 minutes.
7.	Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onion, fennel and salt.
8.	Cook for 10 minutes, until soft but uncoloured.
9.	Add the saffron and its soaking liquid, the chicken stock and chicken.
10.	Simmer over a gentle heat for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
11.	Remove the chicken, discarding the skin if it came with it, and use a couple of forks to shred the meat and return to the pan.
12.	Add the broad beans and cook until heated through.
13.	Chop the reserved fennel fronds and stir through.
14.	Toast the baguette slices and smear with the anchovy butter, adding an anchovy fillet to serve alongside the soup.
15.	VEGETARIAN/VEGAN
16.	Use vegetable stock and add a couple of tins of white beans in place of the chicken.
17.	Make a miso butter (use a vegan butter if necessary) with 1 tablespoon white miso and 100g softened butter.
18.	Crumbled dried nori or 2 tablespoons karengo flakes are an excellent addition.