Fennel
Vegetable
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Description
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Washing/Storing
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General Use
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Fennel
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Fennel is crunchy and slightly sweet. Most often associated with Italian cooking. Fennel is composed of a white or pale green bulb from which closely superimposed stalks are arranged. The stalks are topped with feathery green leaves near which flowers grow and produce fennel seeds. The bulb, stalk, leaves and seeds are all edible.
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Store fresh fennel in the refrigerator crisper. While fresh fennel can be frozen after first being blanched, it seems to lose much of its flavor during this process.
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Sautéed fennel and onions make a wonderful side dish. Combine sliced fennel with avocados, and oranges for a delightful salad. Braised fennel is a wonderful complement to scallops.
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What else is in your bag? Back to this week's Harvest Guide!
Mizuna with Fennel and Feta Cheese
Ingredients:
-2 baby fennel bulbs, trimmed and quartered
-2 Tbs. Olive Oil
-1 tbs balsamic vinegar
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½ cup vegetable or chicken stock
-1 bunch mizuna
-1/3 fetta, crumbled
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¼ small red onion, very thinly sliced
-1 tsp finely grated lemon rind
-sea salt & pepper to taste
-Extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle
-Handful of mushrooms
-½ box of angel hair pasta cooked al dente
Directions:
Heat 2 tbs of oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
Add fennel and cook, turning, for 2-3 minutes or until fennel caramelizes a little, season with sea salt and pepper.
Add balsamic vinegar and chicken stock, cover and cook for 8 -10 minutes or until tender.
Transfer braised fennel to cooked pasta.
Sautee chopped red onions and mushrooms in pan with left over stock and vinegar. Add to pasta. A
dd lemon zest and chopped mizuna. Allow just enough time for mizuna to wilt in the warm pasta. Sprinkle with feta. Enjoy!
(http://www.jrorganicsfarm.com/2010/02/mizuna-with-fennel-and-feta-cheese/)
Fennel and Celery Salad
Makes: 4-6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed, some fronds reserved
- 3 celery ribs, trimmed
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, more to taste
- Salt to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, more to taste
- Freshly shaved Parmesan cheese.
Method
- Cut fennel bulbs in quarters lengthwise, discarding outer layer if it is exceedingly tough. Use a mandoline to slice quarters thinly; slice celery equally thin.
- Put sliced fennel and celery into a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and toss gently to combine.
- Top with lots of freshly shaved Parmesan and chopped fennel fronds if you like.
Recipe from nytimes.com
Roasted Fennel with Orange
Makes: 4 servings
Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 large fennel bulb (1 pound or more)
- 2 navel oranges, peeled
- 1 medium onion, peeled
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
Method
- Preheat the oven to 500°F. Trim the fennel, reserving some of the dill-like fronds. Cut the fennel, oranges, and onion into 1/8- to 1/4-inch-thick slices.
- Put the oil in a large skillet or flameproof gratin dish. Add the fennel, oranges, onion, and rosemary. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then pour in the orange juice.
- Bring to a boil on top of the stove; then transfer to the oven and cook for another 15 minutes or so, or until tender. If much liquid remains, cook a little longer (in the unlikely event that it dries out before the celery becomes tender, add a little more orange juice or some water). Garnish with the reserved fennel fronds and serve hot or warm.
Recipe from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, Mark Bittman
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