Recipes
Fennel
Fennel Info: Although I am not a fan of the anise flavor, which is what you’ll taste in fennel, I’m finding that I’m loving fennel more and more as I go along. It was a popular herb in the ancient world of the Greeks and Romans. You can use all parts of fennel! Chop the leaves and add them at the last moment to add flavor to potato salad, dressings, dips, or sandwiches. The bulb can be eaten raw in salads, giving it both flavor and a great crunch. If the flavor is too strong for you, try blanching it lightly to mellow the flavor, or add it to a batch of roasted vegetables. The bulb can also be added to soups/stews or sautéed like an onion to add flavor to pasta dishes or mixed veggie stir fries. Experiment!
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Fennel Slaw, Orange and Fennel Salad, Cream of Roasted Fennel Soup, Carrot and Fennel Slaw
2 Tbs. cider vinegar
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 Tbs. chopped fresh dill
1/2 tsp grated lemon peel
Salt, to taste
1 1/2 lb. fennel bulb
Whisk vinegar, mayonnaise, pepper, sugar, dill, lemon peel and salt together.
Trim fennel stalks flush with bulb; discard stalks.
Halve fennel through root end; discard core and any discolored outer leaves. Thinly slice fennel.
Toss fennel with enough dressing to coat.
Serve.
Pasta with fennel
2 bulbs fennel, trimmed & quartered
1 lb (1/2kg) fettucine
2 Tbsp olive oil
Grated Parmesan
Parsley (garnish)
Simmer fennel in 4 quarts salted water until tender, about 15 minutes.
Lift fennel from water and slice. Keep warm.
In the fennel water, cook the fettucine until al dente.
Drain pasta. Add olive oil and fennel.
Serve with sprinkle of Parmesan and parsley.
Orange and fennel salad
3 large navel oranges
2 medium fennel bulbs, leaves and root end trimmed
1/2 cup dried, cured black olives
3 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Peel oranges, remove white pith; slice and arrange on a platter.
Cut fennel bulbs in half lengthwise and then into strips.
Distribute the fennel and olives over the oranges.
Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss gently; serve.
Cream of Roasted Fennel Soup
2 large bulbs fennel (or 3 small), cut into ½-inch slices
2 large onions, cut into ½ -inch slices
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ t. black pepper
2 T. olive oil
5 ¼ c. vegetable broth
½ c. heavy cream
¼ c. coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
Heat oven to 425
Place fennel, onions, garlic and black pepper in a roasting pan. Pour oil over all the veggies and toss to coat. Bake for 30 minutes, or until veggies are tender
Place ½ of the veggies in a food processor with 1 cup of the broth. Cover and blend until smooth.
Pour mixture into a saucepan, and repeat process with remaining veggies and broth
Stir cream and basil into the broth-veggie mixture. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
Season to taste with black pepper
(Note: Use save stalks and greenery of the fennel for other uses, such as in salads or on sandwiches)
Carrot and Fennel Slaw
2/3 parts Shredded carrots
1/3 parts Finely sliced fennel
Sprinkle of Golden (or regular) raisins, if desired
Cole slaw dressing of your choice.
Mix desired amount of above ingredients together and serve cold.