Fennel?

Has anyone ever cooked with fresh fennel? 

I get a box of fresh produce each week from a local farm.  Last year I got some fennel in the box once.  They included a recipe for the fennel (roasted in a white wine sauce), which I used since I had no idea how to prepare it.  Unfortunately, it was so disgusting we had to throw it out.  Now, I like pretty much all vegetables so I'm convinced there must be a good way to prepare it - or at least use it in some recipe so it doesn't go to waste again.  Anyway, I saw we are getting it in our box again next week, , but I really want to give it a second chance. 

Anyone had any luck preparing fennel in a tasty way?

I like fennel a lot and hopefully one of these suggestions will sound good to you :)

Keep in mind, though, some people just don't like its anise flavor, but if it is from a local farm it should be mild and fresh and not too licorice-y.

Cooked fennel:

Make homemade marinara sauce: saute onion and fennel for 5 minutes (add ground meat if you like and brown), add garlic and cook 2 minutes more...add a large can of peeled tomatoes (crush in a ziploc bag with your hands first), simmer for 30 minutes and add fresh herbs.

Try roasting it with other vegetables...carrot, potatoes, parsnips, onion, turnips...toss them all in olive oil and salt and roast at 400 for 40-50 minutes.

Slice it into 1/2 inch slices, sprinkle with salt and place it under a whole chicken to roast.

Raw fennel:

Slice it VERY THINLY (or use a mandoline if you have one) and toss with diced granny smith apple, sliced roasted beets and a mustard vinaigrette.  This is also really great with goat cheese or blue cheese crumbled on top.

Interesting, thanks!  I think I will try it roasted with other vegetables and as a salad and see if I like one or both of those ways of preparing it. 

I think it was the licorice flavor we didn't like when I tried to cook it before.  It was just cooked on its own with white wine, so the taste was pretty prominent with nothing else to mask or blend with it.  My husband said it was just OK, but I thought it was practically inedible.

I tend to slice the fennel and boil it in some milk spiced with nutmeg (and some salt). Once cooked, I maybe grate it in the oven after sprinkling it with a little bit of parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs (weighted to a gram!). :)

Maybe I'm overdoing it - some people say you can just put it in the oven - raw  - with some milk and nutmeg (or diet nutmeg spiced béchamel), or just boil it with milk and nutmeg, but I'm not sure. I prefere my version.

If you try this (or other recepies) please let us know, I'm curious.

If you are vegan you can try to invent a vegan version, with something millk-like and nutmeg. No parmesan, but breadcrumbs would still work.

Have fun.

fennel is really nice roasted, i cut it into quarters and put it under a joint of meat to slow roast, pork goes really well with fennel. it is also nice in veggie soups or mixed into a potato gratin, it is quite a strong flavour though. it is tasty cooked with butter and onions in a pan- but not very CC friendly!

The Greens Cookbook has a recipe that includes fennel that I absolutely love.  To paraphrase, cook about 1 pound of white beans (like cannelini) until done but not mushy.  Drain, and while still warm toss with a small amount of mustard vinaigrette.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  When ready to serve, thinly slice the fennel and julienne some cave aged gruyere (if you eat dairy).  Toss the beans with the fennel and cheese, add a little dressing if necessary.  Chop some winter lettuce (like frisee or escarole), and toss lightly with the mustard vinaigrette.  Top with the bean mixture, dust with parsley or minced fennel leaves, and serve.  This is a delicious fall main dish salad, and the fennel is crunchy and sweet with the anise flavor in the background.

Oh wow dkenworthy, that sounds awesome!  Thanks everyone for your fennel ideas!  This definitely helps!  Hopefully I will find that I really enjoy this vegetable much more than I did last time I prepared it!

I had a lovely slaw made with raw fennel last summer. Thinly slice the fennel, add chopped garlic, olive oil, vinegar, chopped tomatoes or cherry tomatoes halved. Seasoned with salt and pepper.

Braised Fennel

two fennel bulbs, white part only, cut in quarters to they are still attached at the root end.

Toss in a large bowl with 1 TBS of olive oil until coated and glossy all over.  You need this bit of fat to conduct heat.

Place the fennel quarters in a roasting pan which you have sprayed with non stick spray.  Scatter a handful of peeled shallots cut in half.  Season well with salt and pepper.

Roast at 350 F for 15 minutes.  Add 1 cup of hot chicken broth or any good low salt stock and roast for another 15 minutes until well done.

You can also surround a roasting chicken with the raw fennel and shallots and roast them right along with the bird. 

I love fennel - I simply make it by slicing, rubbing it with olive oil & salt & pepper and broiling/roasting until tender... sun-dried tomatoes & olives also goes really well along with this vegetable!

I do sort of the same thing as Giabash. Only, I leave it raw and squeeze a fresh lemon over it. Then, chill it in the fridge for about an hour. It works better if you slice it really thin.

Do you use the white and green parts?

The green parts can be saved and used to garnish at the end - don't toss em just yet!

Original Post by dkenworthy:

The Greens Cookbook has a recipe that includes fennel that I absolutely love.  To paraphrase, cook about 1 pound of white beans (like cannelini) until done but not mushy.  Drain, and while still warm toss with a small amount of mustard vinaigrette.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  When ready to serve, thinly slice the fennel and julienne some cave aged gruyere (if you eat dairy).  Toss the beans with the fennel and cheese, add a little dressing if necessary.  Chop some winter lettuce (like frisee or escarole), and toss lightly with the mustard vinaigrette.  Top with the bean mixture, dust with parsley or minced fennel leaves, and serve.  This is a delicious fall main dish salad, and the fennel is crunchy and sweet with the anise flavor in the background.

 Ok, we happened to get escarole with our fennel, and so we tried this recipe last week.  It was awesome, but I think it was because the strong flavor of the mustard masked the flavor of the fennel.  I tried roasting it but I couldn't eat it, unless it is drowned in a sauce.  I think I have found the only vegetable I really don't care for!