Fennel recipes

I've recently started getting an organic vegetable box every week which contains different seasonal produce. This week's had fennel in it and I've never used or ate it before. I know its supposed to taste a bit like aniseed but that's all.

Any ideas what to do with. I have access to a microwave, slow cooker, grill and stove. No oven though so roasting anything is out as mine is currently broken.

It's really good raw, eaten like celery.  If you cut it across in thin slices, it makes a wonderful salad.

It's a shame you don't have an oven.  You can cut the bulbs in quarters and roast them.  Toss them with a tablespoon or two of olive oil, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, and roast at 350 F for about 30 minutes, or until the edges are golden. and the fennel is softened.  It can also be grilled, so you could try that.

I've also cooked it with a roasted chicken.  Put the quartered fennel in to pan with the chicken and roast right along with it.  It absorbs the juices and is delicious.  However, this is pretty fatty, so make the portions small.  Again, not having an oven makes it hard. 

edited to add:  You could "roast" them in a saute pan on top of the stove.

 

it's really good when you slice it and then cook it with fennel seeds, garlic, very little olive oil and white wine. Makes an awesome companion with fish.

The tastiest preparation of fennel I've ever had:

Cut off the leafy top and the tough core, peel the outer layers.  Slice the fennel as thinly as you can get it.  Segment an orange so the flesh is free from the membrane.  Squeeze the excess juice into a bowl and mix it with some olive oil, salt, and pepper for a light vinagrette.  Toss the orange segments, fennel, and vinagrette together.  Let it sit for half an hour in the fridge.

Tasty, tasty stuff.  It's an excellent compliment to light pasta dishes, especially if seafood or fish in involved.

Thanks for your suggestions people. I'll give them a try

Fennel is yucky! (but not when its roasted or in a salad)

I love fennel and we eat it quite a bit here in Italy.  A couple of ideas for you:

1. cut into small pieces and boil it in hot water together with whole wheat pasta. eat the pasta and fennel together with grated cheese and a touch of olive oil

2. cut into thin strips and place in a microwave bowl in a single layer; sprinkle grated cheese on top; add more layers if necessary and microwave until the fennel is soft. you can also add some bread crumbs to the very top layer if you like. And I sometimes coat the bottom of the microwave dish with a bit of oil.

3. boil it and serve it with oil and salt or grated cheese

4. cut into thin slices and sautee with a bit of garlic

5. roast it on a roasting pan if you have a gas stove

mmmmm. I'm getting hungry. :)

You could slice it up, mix it with some olive oil, lemon juice, shaved parmesan cheese, and pepper, let that marinade for a while and then serve. Makes a delicious salad.

One time at a chinese resturant I had fennel and cucumbers with red onion and vinegar as a salad.  It was great.

I used to have a recipe for this amazing clear tomato-based soup with about half a kilo of fennel chunks and a few strips of lemon rind. Once the soup is cooked, you bring it to the boil and drop in chunks of fish. It poaches in about a minute, and makes a delicious lunch.

I think fennel is best when you season it with salt, pepper, olive oil & thyme & then either broil it in the oven until crispy or grill it until cooked through! I am not quite sure what raw would be like but I am sure if you minced it up, put it on a salad and put some olive oil all over it, it would be pretty good... 

Fennel is really good with fish & leeks!