292389 Tue Apr 01 14:13:17 -0800 2003 22 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1595669 I have a lovely fennel bulb of fennel in the fridge - with the top, ferns, etc. - and I would like to do something interesting with it. I love raw fennel, and have used it often in salads or as a snack, but I have never cooked it. Can anyone suggest something not too complicated or rich? I try to stay away from stuff loaded with cholesterol, though I don't mind using moderate amounts of butter or oil. You people on this board are so knowledgable! I've been lurking and I'm very impressed. Thanks. Sylvia in Philly Tue Apr 01 14:13:17 -0800 2003 0 Sylvia G 1 1595673 I love making steamed mussels with fennel, leeks, garlic, white wine.... Fennel being the best part! (After the wine ;) Tue Apr 01 14:28:25 -0800 2003 1595669 0 alex 1 1595674 Sylvia, I think all you need to do is cut it up (the root part, anyway) and roast it in the oven with some salt and pepper. Like any other root-ish things: potatoes, turnips, etc. A bit of some sort of fat wouldn't hurt the browning process but isn't absolutely necessary. If you don't want to eat the fennel by itself you could toss it with potatoes, carrots, etc. before roasting. Maybe you can use the fronds in a soup or anything you might use fresh dill for? Allie Tue Apr 01 14:30:49 -0800 2003 1595669 0 Allie D'Augustine 1 1595678 Below is a link to my all-time favorite use for fennel. I was skeptical at first, thinking I wouldn't like it. I made it because I was trying to eat more vegetables (still am) and had tired of raw and cooked preparations, and thought I'd focus for a while on vegetable based soups. This is a very special tasting soup -- it's not vegetal-tasting in the least, and can either be served elegantly naked in a soup plate garnished with creme fraiche, or casual with chunky croutons thrown in, or even brown or wild rice. It really is a suprising taste, and my avowed spinach-hater husband even likes it! Link: http://www.epicurious.com/run/recipe/view?id=11884 Tue Apr 01 14:51:21 -0800 2003 1595669 0 Mrs. Smith 1 1595680 Cut into big slices, toss with olive oil, lots of salt and pepper and grill on stovetop or outdoor grill till charred. Grill some sausages to go along side. That's it. thm Tue Apr 01 15:02:05 -0800 2003 1595669 0 THM 1 1595685 You can braise it in the oven in a mixture of chicken stock and a little white wine. Tue Apr 01 15:31:13 -0800 2003 1595669 0 rjka 1 1595689 I love just cutting the bulb into slices and giving it a nice brown, seasoned, in a non-stick pan with a trace of olive oil. When it has caramelized, I drop the heat, add a splash of white wine and cover it to braise for a few minutes more. I even love the leftovers cold the next day. If you are really bent on using the fronds, it makes a nice seasoning stuffed into the cavity of a whole fish. Tue Apr 01 15:51:32 -0800 2003 1595669 0 Deb Van D 2 1595974 I augment your method just a bit by adding aromatics: toasted fennel seeds, peppercorns, bay leaves, garlic, dired marjoram, a pinch of dried red chile and a few sliced lemons and poach till tender. I also like to stuff fish or use it in antipasta or in salads and I add it to artichoke lasagna and Tuscan Sandwiches as well. A very versatile little veggie, it is. Fri Apr 04 12:08:11 -0800 2003 1595689 0 scottso 1 1595695 I just want to say congratulations on making the transition from lurker to poster....welcome! You can make a lovely, light seafood "stew" with the fennel. Cut the bulb crosswise in to thin rings. In a medium saute pan, saute the fennel with some garlic and onion til all are soft and translucent. Sprinkle in a few crumbled pinches of saffron. Splash in clam juice and white wine (about 2:1). Bring to a boil, then add chunks of firm-fleshed white fish, scallops and mussels. Simmer til seafood is cooked through. Remove seafood to warm soup plates. Boil liquid til reduced slightly; season to taste with S&P, finish with a little butter. Ladle over cooked seafood. Garnish with sprigs of feathery fennel tops. Tue Apr 01 16:17:35 -0800 2003 1595669 0 GG Mora 2 1595704 That sounds really good. I've done similar things with tomato/fish stock based seafood soups. Cook the fennel with onions & garlic in oil, add canned tomatoes (diced, whole and broken up etc) and fish stock and potatoes cut in a small dice and then add seafood (dungeness crab, mussels, clams, whitefish, whatever). Another classic is to do a pasta sauce with Italian sausage and fennel as the main ingredients. Be sure to cook the fennel chunks long enough to make tender. Tue Apr 01 17:17:03 -0800 2003 1595695 0 e.d. 1 1595698 I recently had a fennel bulb in the fridge and this is what I did with it: I roasted the bulb and during the last 2-3 minutes, I threw some shrimp on top of it. Then I made some aioli and drizzled that on top when they came out of the oven. I would do that again in a pinch. I think the ferny parts are still kicking around in the fridge somewhere. Stock, if they still look good enough by the time I get to them. Tue Apr 01 16:48:24 -0800 2003 1595669 0 Margaret 1 1595720 I like to clip the fronds into 1/2" long bits and use them in potato salad...boiled potatoes, minced onion, coarse salt, fennel fronds, olive oil, and lemon juice~all mixed together while the potatoes are hot, and then chilled. Tue Apr 01 19:09:32 -0800 2003 1595669 0 Cristina 1 1595728 I made a dish with fennel some time ago that was a huge hit with my dinner guests. It was braised with Sambuca, so it had a double anise/licorice hit. I've made it a few times since, and recommend it highly. If interested, I am happy to provide the recipe. Tue Apr 01 20:45:57 -0800 2003 1595669 0 James G 2 1595778 > I made a dish with fennel some time ago that was a > huge hit with my dinner guests. It was braised with > Sambuca, so it had a double anise/licorice hit. I've done the same thing with ouzo. The general problem with fennel is that if you cook it until it's soft, you lose almost all of the licorice flavor; and what's left doesn't really appeal to me. So I tend to cook it very lightly, if at all. If you roast the entire bulb, coated lightly with olive oil, until the outer layers brown, then the inner layers are perfect, cooked in their own juices. You can then split it and just put it on the plate. However, my favorite way to eat fennel is raw: slice it very thin, across the bulb, and serve it in a salad with (for example) arugula and wedges of tangerine, dressed with good olive oil, salt and pepper. If you have leftover leg of lamb, lamb & raw fennel makes a truly extraordinary sandwich. Wed Apr 02 13:39:15 -0800 2003 1595728 0 Josh Mittleman 3 1595969 Thanks for the whole-bulb idea. I roasted one last night (about 30 minutes at 450 for a medium-small bulb). Very good, very easy. My kind of recipe! Fri Apr 04 11:06:37 -0800 2003 1595778 0 aromatherapy 2 1595809 Yes, I'd love to have the recipe! Wed Apr 02 16:02:50 -0800 2003 1595728 0 Sylvia G 1 1595740 you can make a simple and delicious fennel gratin. use a mandoline to shave the fennel into thin slices, add salt + pepper, drizzle with olive oil. then layer the slices into a gratin dish. top with grated parmeggiano reggiano and bake in the oven until the fennel is cooked and the cheese is browned. Tue Apr 01 23:21:21 -0800 2003 1595669 0 chococatgal 1 1595757 Fennel and apples are wonderful together. I like to either roast or braise them with some onions, chicken broth, white wine and olive oil -- maybe some pancetta. There are some really nice recipes at the following links: Roast Apples, Onions and Fennel http://www.homemadesimple.com/recipes/kitrecipe_apples.shtml Chicken with Fennel and Ontario Apples http://www.wholefoods.com/recipes/chicapples.html Roasted Fennel with Apples and Parmesan http://www.gelsons.com/recipes/roastedfennel.asp Wed Apr 02 10:45:19 -0800 2003 1595669 0 Nancy Berry 2 1595813 Great links. Thank you! Wed Apr 02 16:09:33 -0800 2003 1595757 0 Sylvia G 1 1595765 Something simple: Put sliced fennel in a shallow pan, add water to almost cover, salt, and some butter. Cook at a fast simmer/low boil, partly covered. The goal is to have the water boil away by the time the fennel is tender. Toss in the butter. A little parmesan is nice, and minced fronds if you have them. Alternatively, substitute a very little dark sesame oil for the butter, skip the cheese. Roasted is good too. Try roasting with sliced or diced potatoes. And plain fennel makes a good puree. Wed Apr 02 11:31:31 -0800 2003 1595669 0 aromatherapy 1 1595811 This Board is fantastic! I couldn't believe the wonderful response. I actually have not seen a suggestion that I didn't want to try. My husband, the shopper, has orders to keep buying fennel until we both are saturated - which may be never. So far, I just tried the simplest way - roasting the slices. (I threw in some other veggies, too.)I loved the way the cooking brought out the sweetness of the fennel. I am printing out all these suggestions - I will have a fennel book! The soup recipe will be a must. And I really appreciate the links. Thank you all so much. Sylvia in Philly Wed Apr 02 16:08:22 -0800 2003 1595669 0 Sylvia G 1 1595845 Fennel and celery root make a lovely soup combo. Peel and cube 2 large celery roots, dropping in acidulated water as you go. Saute diced medium-large onion in butter or olive oil till translucent, add thinly sliced fennel (2 small-medium bulbs) and saute one or two minutes. Add a quart of *good* chicken broth, along with the drained celery root and one cubed peeled russet potato, cook till potato and celery root are tender. Puree, add some freshly grated nutmeg. Thin with more broth if necessary. Top with fronds and more nutmeg. Serve hot. That's the basic recipe but I like to use more celery root and fennel and less potato. I've eaten leftovers cold out of the fridge -- delightful esp on a warm day ... but needs to be thinned. Wed Apr 02 23:25:03 -0800 2003 1595669 0 foodfirst 1 1595959 I like to saute it ( sliced ) with onion and garlic until softened , and then add okra and canned stewed tomatos , and season with fresh mint and basil . Makes a nice side dish . Sliced fennel , fava beans , mint , topped with pan seared tuna or salmon is tasty , too . Fennel is one of my favorite things . Mmm . Fri Apr 04 00:20:30 -0800 2003 1595669 0 GoalieJeff