Fennel

Fennel What is fennel and how do I cook it?

Fennel is a white bulb like vegetable with green stalks that can beaten raw or cooked.  It has green stalks looks like a root veg but the bulb is actually formed from the long stalks weaving together at the base of the plant so the ‘bulb’ grows above the ground.

The white part at the bottom is the bulb, the green shoots are fennel stalks and the green leaves that sprout out of it are called fronds. The entirety of the plant is edible, raw it has a mild liquorice flavour and crisp raw texture, whilst cooking it makes the liquorice flavour disappears making it sweeter and more tender.  It comes with many health benefits too, one cup of fennel contains 20% of your daily vitamin C along with potassium, iron and fibre.

Tips for preparing raw fennel:
Fennel is a great addition to salads and other raw dishes, stand it on it end and cut downwards and slice thinly.

Tips for cooking fennel:
Cooking softens the flavour of fennel, you can braise, sauté, roast or grill it. You can use it in place of celery in soups and stews or to bed roasting joints. 

Why not try:

Fennel Tomato and Feta Bake

Once baked the flavour of fennel becomes mellow and is perfectly complimented by the tomatoes and feta. This dish is great on its own or pair it with baked fish or chicken.  If you want to speed up this recipe you could use tinned chopped tomatoes instead of roasting you own, however the flavour of freshly roasted vine tomatoes is far superior, so if you can afford the time I recommend you make your own!

Ingredients:

1 fennel bulb

1 teaspoon of ground coriander

2 tablespoons of olive oil

3 Vine tomatoes

1 tablespoons sliced garlic

1 teaspoon lemon juice

I pinch salt

3 table spoons crumbled feta

How to make it:

Chop your tomatoes into eighths, sprinkle with olive oil and salt and pepper and roast at 220 for 20 minutes.

Whilst your tomatoes are baking chop the fronds of your fennel until you have about a tablespoons worth and set aside to use as a garnish.

Cut fennel bulb into wedges.

Remove tomatoes from the oven and set aside. (Tip: to speed this recipe up you could use tinned tomatoes, but be sure to drain half of the liquid from the tin before using)

Heat the olive oil in a skillet and once hot, add the fennel wedges and cook for 4 minutes.

Take the skillet off the heat and turn the wedges over. Add the chopped tomatoes, garlic, lemon juice and salt.

Place skillet in the oven and bake at 180 degrees for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with crumbled feta and chopped fennel fronds to serve.

Cucumber and Fennel Salad

This delightful salad is a summer favourite, but it can be eaten at all times of the year, especially as fennel is classed as ‘in season’ this time of year in the UK as it grows happily in Mediterranean climates throughout the winter where we get most of our vegetables from whilst the UK is too cold to grow much. You can follow this recipe as it is or jazz it up further by adding other salad items, cherry tomatoes and avocadoes go well, or even toasted breadcrumbs.

Ingredients:

1 x cucumber sliced

1 x Fennel sliced

1 x red pepper sliced

For the dressing:

1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

A pinch of black pepper

1 pinch of salt

How to make:

In a small bowl or cup combine the dressing ingredients and mix well.

Toss the sliced ingredients in a bowl with the dressing until well coated

Serve on a bed of baby leaf or spinach.