Bloody Mary Soup

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 fennel bulb, fronds chopped (for garnish) and bulb washed and sliced
• 4 large tomatoes (heirloom if in season and in budget)
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorn
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
• 2-inch piece of fresh horseradish, peeled and grated (or 1 to 2 teaspoons no-salt-added prepared horseradish)
• Zest from 1 lime
• Juice from 1/2 of lime
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• Optional: more freshly ground black pepper as needed

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot and when it is hot, add the garlic and the sliced fennel. Allow them to soften and brown a bit, about 6 to 8 minutes. Then add your chopped tomatoes, black peppercorns, and red chili pepper flakes and let them stew until it comes to a boil, about 10 minutes. Lower heat slightly so that the soup gently bubbles and continues cooking for another 20 minutes.
2. Take the pot off of the heat and using a stand-up blender or immersion blender, puree the mixture until all the bits and pieces have broken down into a smooth, creamy soup.
3. Pour the soup back into the pot if you've used a stand-up blender, and place the pot back on the heat. Bring up the heat until there is a gentle boil. Add the horseradish, lime zest, lime juice, and apple cider vinegar. Stir, taste, and adjust accordingly. Then continue cooking for a final 10 minutes.
4. When you're ready to serve, ladle soup into bowls and garnish with sliced cherry tomatoes, extra black pepper if you need more kick, and the raw, diced fennel fronds. Dig in and enjoy.

vegetable oil, garlic, fennel bulb, tomatoes, black peppercorn, red chili pepper, horseradish, lime, lime, apple cider vinegar, ground black pepper

Taken from food52.com/recipes/23377-bloody-mary-soup (may not work)