Fennel Potato Leek Soup

One ingredient I haven't quite understood is fennel. It's an herb that has a slight taste of licorice and can be seen as a popular ingredient on trendy restaurant menus. I'm not exactly sure if I like it enough to call it one of my grocery produce staples but I'm still open to working with it in various ways. I came across this recipe From The French Kitchen and since the weather has been a bit cooler lately, it was a perfect night for soup...

Fennel Potato Leek Soup
recipe adapted from here

2 large leeks, white part only, cleaned, trimmed & thinly sliced
1 small bulb fresh fennel, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 small yukon gold potatoes, finely diced
6 c. chicken broth
garlic salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
finely diced bacon, fried

Place the leek, fennel, onion, garlic and oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Saute until softened, then add potatoes and broth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Allow to cook on stove top covered for about 30-45 minutes. Turn off heat and allow soup to cool slightly.

Once cooled, place in a food processor and process until smooth. You can also use an immersion blender to puree in your dutch oven if you prefer.

To serve, garnish with crisped bacon and fennel frond.