Spanish Cream of Chicken Soup with Almonds

Ingredients

• onions

  coarsely chopped
  2 medium
• garlic

  coarsely chopped
  2 cloves
• fennel bulb

  trimmed and coarsely chopped
  1 unit
• dried thyme
  1 teaspoon
• olive oil
  ¼ cup
• dry sherry
  ½ cup
• chicken stock
  9 cups
• finely ground almonds
  1 cup
• heavy cream
  1 cup
• finely chopped cooked white chicken meat
  1½ cups
• salt and pepper
  1 unit
• finely chopped fresh parsley

  for garnish
  ¼ cup