Tomato soup with fennel and crab meat

Ingredients:

• 120 g of lump crab meat, sorted
• 2 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 2 fennel roots, trimmed and thinly sliced, plus sprigs for serving
• 2 leeks (white and light green parts), sliced ​​and washed
• A pinch of red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons sambuca or other anise-flavored liqueur
• 1 can (800g) of canned tomatoes in their own juice, hand-mashed
• 2 cups lightly salted chicken broth
• 3/4 cup heavy cream

Preparation:

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add fennel and leeks and sprinkle with 1.5 teaspoons of salt and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes.
2. Pour in the sambuca and cook until reduced, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, heavy cream, and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the fennel is tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Pour the soup into a blender in batches and blend until smooth (or puree the soup in the saucepan using an immersion blender). Return the soup to the saucepan and heat over medium heat, adding salt. Add a small amount of crab meat and a sprig of fennel to each batch.