Category: Fennel

  I don’t typically love raisins in savory food but in this dish they add a mellow sweetness that’s just lovely. To make dish vegan omit topping or use a vegan yogurt.   Serves 4 as a main, topped with Greek Yogurt sauce or 6 as a side  ... Read more »

This takes minutes to stir together and uses those beautiful fennel fronds that are often still attached to the fennel bulbs in your CSA share or at the market. And garlic scapes, the sometimes straight, sometimes curly shoots from hard neck garlic plants are juicy and tender and pack a nice garlicky punch in this sauce. You might serve this sauce with grilled fennel and garlic scapes and grilled salmon. Makes about 2/3 cup sauce.... Read more »

I tossed this together once when I needed to use up both kohlrabi and fennel and since I always have lemons and Greek yogurt on hand, that's what went in the bowl with the vegetables. A little salt and olive oil and black pepper and that's it.... Read more »

[caption id="attachment_13598" align="aligncenter" width="660"] This version included lots of garlic scapes and fava beans but no peas. It's a good template to use what you have.[/caption] This is a classic Italian preparation for a variety of spring/early summer vegetables and here's a version with peas and pea shoots. You can toss it with pasta or gnocchi, topped with some aged pecorino or Parmesan or enjoy as a side with fish or meat or egg dishes. ... Read more »

  This is a delicious garnish/condiment/side for fish, meat, roasted vegetables, or simply on toast. You can change the ratios of vegetables to suit your needs and/or taste. It's easy to scale up and down and leftovers are delicious.   Serve as a side or on toasted bread or thin down with a little hot, pasta cooking water as a pasta sauce.   Variations Add a few chopped, oil-cured black olives Add 1 tablespoon, rinsed, chopped capers ... Read more »

This salad is a perfect accompaniment to some simply grilled or pan-fried fish of your choosing. You can use any fairly mild onion in this salad. ... Read more »

Roast at 425 degrees a pan of fennel and torpedo (or other) onion wedges alongside some potatoes, all lightly coated in olive oil and sprinkled with salt. When tender and a bit caramelized, toss them in a mustardy dressing (whole grain mustard, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper) and serve over some lightly dressed lettuce. chicory (escarole, sugarloaf, radicchio, frisee) of any kind is particularly good here Grill some sausages and you’ve got a substantial dinner. ... Read more »

This is a bit like a simplified French onion soup. The cheesy toast gets a nice kick from the thin layer of mustard which complements the sweetness of the onions and fennel.... Read more »

[caption id="attachment_13718" align="aligncenter" width="660"] I didn't have figs and subbed apricots, which were good but a bit tart.[/caption] --adapted from Culinate.com (recipe by Carrie Floyd)   Simple, elegant, delicious!... Read more »

--inspired by Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi   This salad is one of my favorite ways to use kohlrabi. The original calls for cabbage too but I’ve substituted fennel (albeit not as much) and while a different twist, is very good as well.   The original recipe calls for dried sour cherries and I’ve always used golden raisins instead.... Read more »

--adapted from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi   This is delicious and unusual. Don't worry if the sugar doesn't caramelize smoothly around the fennel slices. If it clumps together with the fennel seeds it will make wonderful crunchy little nuggets that I almost prefer to an even layer of caramelization.   Serves 4... Read more »

These pickles are bright and beautiful and fun for snacking. The recipe yields a large batch, so you'll have plenty on hand and to give away or feel free to halve the recipe. They are a nice complement to many a meal, rich or not. And they star in this salad!   You can use a wide variety of vegetables. Green beans, asparagus, cabbage, radishes, chard stems (used here instead of red pepper); use what you have!... Read more »

This is a nice variation to plain roasted vegetables. One of my favorite things to do with these, once roasted and a bit cooled is to toss them with lots of parsley and/or arugula or escarole. Then add a bit more lemon juice and olive oil and make a big salad out of it. Quantities are approximations. Use however many vegetables you want in whatever ratio you want.   You could also serve these on top of a bed of sautéed chard or kale.... Read more »

Arugula and fennel have a certain similarity. Both, eaten plain with no dressing (or other treatment) can be very strong and pronounced, but dressed they play much more nicely with others and taste better (to me) themselves. I have experimented with this combination over the years and really enjoy it.... Read more »

  Fennel's strong anise-like flavor has great potential and can also be a bit challenging. It is a vegetable that has grown on me in the last few years and I've developed a variety of ways to prepare it, both cooked and raw, that I truly enjoy.   Fennel's strong flavor can be front and center like in the classic Italian salad of very thinly shaved fennel, orange sections, thinly sliced red onion and briny black olives--a truly inspired combination. Fennel is fantastic slowly sautéed/braised, roasted, or grilled. It makes a sublime pizza topping or pasta sauce or side to fish or meat. Fennel seed has many culinary uses and is often used in pickled vegetables.   You may very well get your fennel with some of the fronds still attached. They make a lovely garnish or addition to salads and soups so don't throw them away. The bulbs keep quite well in the refrigerator, up to two weeks or so.  ... Read more »