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FENNEL
Fennel is a another underappreciated vegetable that deserves a more prominent spot in our diet. It basically tastes like
licorice flavored celery. Fennel adds a very distinctive, but not overpowering,
taste to any dish that's in and the licorice flavor is mellowed with cooking. The delicate fennel leaves can be used like a
fresh herb while the stalks and the bulb can be cut up and used much like you would use celery. Before cutting up
the bulb, the core should be removed. Cut the root end off of the bulb and then cut a cone shape into the
base to remove the core. You can see the core because it is whiter than the surrounding green. It's not
absolutely essential to remove the core, but helps the fennel cook faster. Below are a couple of fennel
recipes--but it is also good in soups, stews, casseroles and stir fries. It can replace celery in most recipes.
RECIPES: Baked Fennel with Parmesan 2 fennel bulbs 1 tablespoon butter (or olive oil) 3/4 cup half-and-half cream 3/4 cup creme fraiche (or sour cream) dash of salt and pepper 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the base off of the fennel bulbs and remove core. Slice the fennel vertically (upright) into 1/4 inch thick slices. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the fennel, and fry for about 5 minutes. Stir in the half-and-half, creme fraiche and salt and pepper until well blended (creme fraiche is delicious, but also often hard to find and expensive--sour cream is a fine substitute). Transfer to a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top is golden brown and the fennel is tender enough to pierce with a fork. Greek Fennel Skillet olive oil 2 cloves garlic 2 medium fennel bulbs 1 large onion 1 tablespoon lemon juice 3 medium tomatoes, chopped 1.5 cups feta cheese or shredded mozzarella 1/2 cup black olives Mince the garlic and julienne the fennel and onion. In a medium frying pan, sautee the garlic, fennel, and onion in a couple tablespoons olive oil for5-10 minutes until the the fennel is tender. Add lemon juice and chopped tomatoes and cook on medium heat until most of the liquid evaporates. Salt and pepper to taste. Stir in feta cheese and black olives (or top it with the mozzarella) and serve hot. Can be served plain as a side dish or as a main dish by serving over pasta or polenta. |