Hearty Fennel Soup with Sausage and Gouda Croutons Recipe

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan.

Add the sausage links and cook them over moderate heat for about 10 minutes until golden brown and just cooked through. Transfer the sausage links to a plate.

Add the onion to the saucepan and cook over moderate heat for about 4 minutes until softened.

Add the fennel and thyme and cook, stirring for about 5 minutes until softened.

Add the stock and simmer over moderately low heat for about 45 minutes until the fennel is very tender.

Add the zucchini, cover, and simmer over moderate heat for about 2 minutes until barely tender. Discard the thyme sprigs.

Working in 2 batches, puree the soup in a food processor.

Return the soup to the saucepan.

Thinly slice the sausage and add to the soup. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Arrange the baguette toasts on a baking sheet and top them with half of the cheese. Bake for 1 minute or until the cheese melts.

Ladle the soup into shallow bowls and top with the toasts.

Sprinkle the remaining cheese on the soup and serve.

Make-Ahead: The soup can be refrigerated overnight. The plain toasts can be stored in an airtight container overnight