Ingredients

Fennel

What makes fennel so great? For starters, it keeps for a very long time, so it is a good thing to have as a staple in your vegetable drawer. Roasted fennel also keeps well and can be coal or fire roasted on the weekend and used as an ingredient in many dishes throughout the week. Both the bulb and the fronds can be used, and both the flavor and texture of the bulb change when cooked and charred – making it quite versatile. The fronds are great used as a finishing herb. Dried fennel seeds pack a good punch are are a basic staple of any spice cabinet. It has a unique woody and anise-like flavor that is truly unique.

Preparation methods

Raw it has a nice crisp texture and it’s anise notes are most pronounced when raw. Due to it’s fibrous nature it is best served thinly sliced when raw. When cooked it’s texture softens, allowing it to be used in larger slices or chunks. It also mellows the anise notes in it’s flavor and brings out a sweetness in the flavor, allowing it to meld more easily with other ingredients. Charring it adds even more sweetness to the flavor and makes it more complex.

Matching ingredients

In terms of pairing with other ingredients fennel is a natural match for pork and fish. It also matches really well with oranges, apples, rosemary, lemon, and olives. It also matches well with most cheeses, especially goat and Parmesan, making it even more versatile.

Example recipes

Fennel salad – this is a basic salad that makes a great bed for rich meats or fish, as well as roasted root vegetables. The main ingredients are thin sliced raw fennel, greens that are on the bitter side (chard, arugula, beet greens, dandelion leaves, etc), and onions (red onions especially). The dressing should be a traditional 1 to 3 ratio of acid to oil. For fish lemon juice is best for the acid and for rich meats red wine or apple cider vinegar work very well. If using as a bed for a meat like pork belly raw apples and walnuts make a great addition and for fish orange slices work quite well.

Charred fennel – This would be the end use of the fennel being cooked in the top photograph. Quarter a fennel bulb and char over a hot fire, then move off the heat a bit to roast it through. Slice off the stem portion from each quarter, roughly chop, and toss with a red wine vinaigrette and tomatoes. Olives can also be added if they pair well with the main dish being served.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *