White Bean–Fennel Soup by Billy McCullough of Dragonfly
Posted on December 6, 2011
Filed Under Lake Tahoe Hot Spots | Leave a Comment
As part of the weekly Stone Soup community event held every Sunday evening at the Truckee Recreation Center, Billy McCullough, owner of Dragonfly and founding member of Slow Food Lake Tahoe, prepared this white bean and fennel soup with butternut squash, carrot, onion, and thyme.
The soup was served at Stone Soup with bread from Truckee Sourdough, one of many local businesses that donate to Stone Soup which serves about 140 people each week and features live music to entertain the hungry crowd.
“What I’ve always liked about the idea of Stone Soup is that it’s not about Slow Food or the Rotary Club or Dragonfly,” McCullough says. “It’s a true community event, about getting everyone involved.”
A long-time community leader, Chef Bill McCullough, has held positions on the boards for Rotary Club, the Truckee Donner Land Trust and the affiliate to our schools, the Kid Zone. As father of two young daughters, he joins parents in our region who enthusiastically support the Time for Lunch Campaign. Billy is asked often and never says no to an opportunity to participate in a fund-raiser in a neighborhood where we are active in supporting our cases. He opened Dragonfly, his first restaurant venture, in 2001. An educator on the principles of Slow Food, his menus tend to be small. “That is because I enjoy changing them on a weekly basis, guaranteeing the freshness and seasonality of the products being used.” Billy is one of the original founders of our Slow Food Lake Tahoe Chapter and has served on its board of directors since 2007.
White Bean–Fennel Soup
Recipe by Billy McCullough of Dragonfly Restaurant and Sushi Bar in Truckee.5 cup vegetable oil
4 tbs. garlic, chopped
2 each yellow onions, small dice
4 each carrots, peeled and small dice
2 bulbs fennel, cut bulb in half, remove core, slice thin
1 cup butternut squash, peeled and diced
3 cups white wine
2 cans white beans (prefer fresh, cooked until soft)
1.5 gal. vegetable or chicken stock
.25 cup fresh thyme leaves
4 tbs. Tabasco
Salt and black pepper to taste
• In a stock pot, saute garlic in white wine for one minute.
• Add onions and fennel, cook until translucent.
• Add carrots and squash. Saute until carrots are slightly soft.
• Add white wine. Reduce by half.
• Add cooked beans and stock. Bring to simmer.
• Season with thyme, tabasco, salt, and pepper
• Serves 6 to 8
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