Category: Fennel

This dish was invented at the restaurant Le Cirque in New York City in the 70s. I think of it mostly as a disappointing restaurant dish vegetarian's are relegated to order. It can, however, be delicious and is a good template as it accommodates many different vegetables. There are many variations, some with cream or cream sauce, some without. Here's my cook-with-what-you-have version, employing a quick bechamel (white sauce) to enjoy spring through fall.  ... Read more »

The lime juice, hot pepper and cotija really make this salad. Vary it to use what you have on hand.    Variations: Use whatever bean or chickpea you have (in the above case, it's black chickpeas) Use whatever crunchy vegetables you like/have such as radishes, salad turnips, kohlrabi, fennel, peas, carrots, onions Use whatever tender herbs you like/have such as mint, parsley, cilantro, tarragon, basil, chives, dill, chervil, oregano Omit the cheese or use a different kind such as feta or diced sharp cheddar Add toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds (though they will soften and lose their crunch so add right before serving)  ... Read more »

Sweet, tart juicy oranges pair beautifully with the slightly bitter chicories like escarole, castelfranco, sugarloaf and radicchio.... Read more »

Quinoa cooks quickly, has a pleasantly nutty taste and is nutritious. If you're in a rush and have random bits of vegetables on hand, even just a carrot and stalk of celery, you can have this on the table in 25 minutes. Round it out with a fried egg or any protein you'd like and/or a salad. You can easily scale this up and the ratio of quinoa to water is one to one and you can use whatever vegetables and/or meats you'd like so it's more of a set of guidelines than a recipe.... Read more »

White beans of any kind will be good here just be sure not to overcook them so they keep their shape. The lemon, crisp fennel and creamy beans are a really nice combination.... Read more »

I had a bowl of the last of the season's tomatoes on the counter and some fresh ramen noodles in the fridge and 30 minutes later this dish materialized. It's a keeper! I have not tried this with canned tomatoes but aim to test it and add notes about that option.... Read more »

This simple, simple salad is bright and delicious. The lemon cuts fennel's licorice flavor a bit. This is a lovely side/salad to meats, beans or grains.... Read more »

This is hearty, savory and very adaptable. This dish materialized thanks to already cooked farro and a variety of vegetables in need of using up, including cauliflower leaves. If your grains are already cooked this comes together quite quickly. I had some homemade harissa on hand which elevated it further. I topped this particular version with meatballs.   Variations Make this your own with whatever grain you'd like--spelt, barley, rye, wheat berries and different spices. Vegetables like collard greens and kale are great to use in place of or with the cauliflower leaves and spices. ... Read more »

Don't skip the capers. They really elevate this fennel-rich ragout that's delicious with pasta or braised meats or just good crusty bread or an egg.... Read more »

Talk about a template; minestrone is a bean and vegetable soup and, loosely defined, can use any bean, any shape of pasta (or no pasta), most any vegetable and herb, meat or no meat (diced bacon or a little sausage is good, added when cooking onions) be hearty and stew-like or light and brothy. For me, what makes or breaks minestrone are the beans and the bean broth. You can certainly use canned beans but home-cooked beans with their broth are what gives minestrone its richness and complexity.   Dishes like these are why I try to keep cooked beans (in their broth/cooking liquid) in the freezer and at the ready. It makes a soup like this, that cooks in 20 minutes, taste like it's been simmering for hours--in a good way!   Variations A variety of vegetables are well-suited for this recipe and can be used individually or in combination, such as: a bunch of leafy greens, such as chopped kale or spinach 2 cups trimmed and chopped greens beans 1 cup shelled peas and/or diced fennel 2 cups diced zucchini If adding pasta, use the smaller volume for small pasta shapes like tubes, as pictured, little elbows, orzo, or the larger shells, etc. Any type of garlic is great in this recipe, such as 1 head new garlic, 2 stalks green garlic or garlic scapes, thinly sliced. Vegetable broth or water are a great substitute for bean broth if unavailable or in a pinch. ... Read more »

As with most recipes in this Collection, this dish is a result of combining what I had on hand--sweet, tender young fennel, cilantro and scallions. It's simple, bright, crunchy and delicious and will complement most anything, particularly salmon or any grilled meat. You could also toss it with cooked grains or beans for a much heartier salad.   Quantities are just approximations so scale up or down based on what you have on hand and your taste, when it comes to the lemon juice. I like it nice and tart. You can also substitute parsley or dill for the cilantro or use a little mint, if that's what you have.... Read more »

This is richly flavored and quick to make. Enjoy it with a few salads for a light dinner or alongside any meat or fish or egg dish.... Read more »

The Nicoise Salad template, if you will, lends itself to year-round adaptations. I never miss the green beans and tomatoes when I make this, or a similar version, in the dead of winter. Quantities can be adapted to suit your needs and can be varied in all ways. You just want enough dressing for everything so scale that up if you’re using more vegetables.  ... Read more »

This is a simple delicious way to serve fennel, and lots of it, if you have quite a bit. You can dip the grilled wedges in aioli or toss with salsa verde or just enjoy as is.... Read more »

A lovely meal for a warm evening. Use whatever fish you'd like and vary the slaw ingredients to suit your needs. This makes more slaw than you can probably use in your tacos but it is delicious and is lovely on its own as well. ... Read more »

This salad is so quick and so good. Use oranges, cara caras or grapefruit. Citrus and fennel are a wonderful pairing. Red onion would be more typical than scallions but scallions are what I had on hand. Scale this up or down as needed. You can't go wrong.... Read more »

This dish is inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi’s book Plenty More though it’s different enough to be barely recognizable. The original recipe includes 5 ounces of udon noodles so by all means add those if you’d like. I think it's fantastic with just vegetables. And feel free to play with the vegetables you include and the type of squash. It is important to slice the raw vegetables very thinly and that they are good and crunchy by nature.... Read more »

This is a fresh, robust salad perfect for a weeknight supper or holiday meal. You can scale it up or down and change the ratio of vegetables any way you'd like. ... Read more »

This dish takes about 25 minutes to cook but is dead simple and mostly hands-off and very versatile.  You can certainly skip the peppers, add more onions, just make it with fennel, add leeks or vary it in any way you see fit.   You can toss this dish with just-cooked pasta and a bit of hot pasta cooking water and some grated Parmesan and a good drizzle of olive oil for a luscious main dish. Or you can serve it as a side with most anything or top it with an egg.  ... Read more »

I roast vegetables (or broil them) occasionally, but I particularly love this combination and this level of heat and all the herbs. That's not to say that you can't substitute summer squash (or eventually winter squash) and cabbage or other veggies here. I made this to use up random bits--one small eggplant, one fennel bulb--from my CSA so use what you have on hand. [caption id="attachment_6375" align="aligncenter" width="640"] A dinner of vegetables, corn on the cob, salad with creamy miso dressing and roasted vegetables with herbs.[/caption]... Read more »