Fennel

Baked Fennel with Cheese

3 med. fennel (with stalks)
2 qt. water
1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. salt
2 c. grated Monterey Jack cheese
In large Dutch oven add 2 quarts water, salt and olive oil. When water boils add fennel which has been halved and quartered. Boil 3 to 5 minutes or until tender. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup liquid. Place in a single layer in shallow buttered baking dish. Pour reserved liquid over top. Sprinkle grated Jack cheese. Add 1/2 cup grated Parmesan. Bake at 375 degrees to melt cheese and brown lightly

Braised Fennel and Saute Mix

(harmonyvalleyfarm.com)

Another recipe that can easily be adjusted depending on the amount of fennel and greens you have on hand.

2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 fennel bulbs, tops removed and sliced crosswise and into ¼ inch strips
1 ½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cracked black pepper
½ cup white wine (or other preferred cooking liquid)
1 bag saute greens, spinach (or kale from this week’s bag, stemmed and chopped)
¼ cup fresh parsley (or sage?)

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over low heat. Add the fennel, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the fennel is light brown around the edges and soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Pour in the wine. Turn up the heat and cook until the wine is evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the saute greens and cook, stirring until wilted. (Alternatively, add the chopped kale with the wine and sauté the kale in the cooking liquid until soft and liquid has evaporated). Finish with chopped herbs. Serve immediately.

Cabbage, Fresh Fennel, and Carrot Slaw

Make the slaw and chill it up to two hours before serving. It is best cold. Serves 10.
1 2 1/2-pound cabbage, quartered, cored, very thinly sliced (about 18 cups)
2 fresh fennel bulbs, trimmed, halved, very thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 very large carrot, peeled, coarsely shredded
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
Combine cabbage, fennel, onion, and carrot in large bowl. Whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, sugar, and hot sauce in medium bowl to blend. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Add dressing to cabbage mixture; toss to coat. Season slaw to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours, tossing occasionally. Transfer to serving bowl.

Couscous with Roasted Fennel and Toasted Almonds

juice from one orange, about 1/2 cup
1/3 cup black raisins
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and cored and cut into about 16 slim wedges
3 tablespoons good quality olive oil, divided
1/4 cup almonds
1 1/4 cup chicken stock
1 cup couscous
1 large shallot (or two small), minced
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1-2 tablespoon fennel fronds, chopped
freshly ground pepper and salt, to taste
1 pinch coarse sea salt

1. Soak raisins in orange juice until they plump up, about 1 – 2 hours; strain, and set aside
2. Toss fennel wedges in one tablespoon of olive oil, pepper and salt; spread on a lined baking sheet and roast in a 350 oven for about 12-15 minutes, until edges are beginning to brown, and the fennel wedges are softening – but still have a little bite
3. Toast almonds on a separate pan in the oven until lightly browned; allow to cool; coarsely chop, and set aside
4. While fennel and almonds are in the oven, bring chicken stock to a boil over high heat; add couscous, stir, cover, and remove from heat; let rest for about 15 minutes until all of the stock is absorbed
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together shallots and vinegar, then whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil; add pepper and salt to taste
6. Transfer couscous to a serving bowl and fluff with fork; stir in the orange-soaked raisins, and fennel fronds; toss with enough of the vinaigrette to lightly coat everything – be sure to include all of the shallot bits
7. Top with roasted fennel and almonds; finish with a sprinkling of ground pepper and coarse sea salt

Fennel and Kohlrabi Slaw

Here’s a recipe Robin Schow sent for fennel and kohlrabi. Serves 6
Ingredients:
2 medium kohlrabi, peeled, shredded
1 small fennel bulb, quartered and very thinly sliced crosswise
Handful of chopped fennel leaves
1/4 cup fresh herbs, minced
2-3 scallions, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Zest of one lemon, minced
1 teaspoon honey
Salt, freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions:
Whisk together oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, honey, salt and pepper and set aside.
In separate bowl, combine kohlrabi, fennel, scallions, and herbs.
Dress to taste.

Fennel and Orange Salad

Serves 4 (How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman; 2008)

  • 1 lb. fennel

  • 3 small oranges or tangerines

  • Salt

  • 1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice

  • 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro or basil

1. Trim and core the fennel and cut into small cubes, ¼ inch or so, or into thin slices (or share it super thin on a mandolin).

2. Squeeze the juice from one of the oranges, pour it over the fennel, add salt and lime juice, and let it sit (for up to several hours) while you prepare the other oranges.

3. Peel the remaining oranges and slice into wheels, then slice in half again, removing any pits and tough, fibrous material. Add the oranges and cilantro to the fennel, toss, taste and adjust the seasoning and serve.

Fennel Carrot Soup

from www.epicurious.com

2 medium fennel bulbs with fronds
1 pound carrots, quartered lengthwise
1 medium onion, quartered
1 garlic clove
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon fennel seeds

Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in lowest position. Chop enough fennel fronds to measure 1 tablespoon and reserve. Discard stalks and remaining fronds. Slice bulbs 1/4 inch thick and toss with carrots, onion, garlic, 3 tablespoons oil, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread in a 4-sided sheet pan and roast, stirring occasionally, until browned and tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Blend half of vegetables in a blender with broth until very smooth. Transfer to a medium saucepan. Repeat with remaining vegetables and water. Thin to desired consistency with extra water and simmer 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, finely grind fennel seeds in grinder and stir into remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Serve soup drizzled with fennel oil and sprinkled with reserved fronds.

Fennel-Orange Muffins

(undated Springhill Newsletter but I remember making these about 10 years ago when I was still warming up to fennel and they were delicious!)
Ingredients:
• 1 md. seedless orange, peeled
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup veggie oil
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 2 cups grated fennel bulbs
• 2 ¼ cups flour
• 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Oil muffin cups. Puree orange in a blender, then combine with eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla, and fennel in a bowl. Sift flour, baking powder and salt then gently fold into wet ingredients. Do not over mix. Spoon into muffin cups. Bake 20-25 minutes or until done. Makes 8-12 muffins.

Fennel with Grapes, Almonds and Cheese

This one comes from the Star Tribune newspaper. Serves 2 to 4
Note: Use a very sharp knife to slice the fennel bulb into paper-thin slices. The fennel and grapes need time to marinate in the olive oil and lemon juice but the almonds and cheese are at their best when tossed in at the last minute.

• 2 medium fennel bulbs, very thinly sliced, about 2 c. (see Note)
• 1 1/2 c. red seedless grapes, cut in half
• 2 to 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil and/or roasted almond oil
• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice (or to taste)
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 c. blanched, slivered almonds, lightly toasted (see Note)
• A small piece of hard cheese (Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino, Asiago), shaved into thin slices with a vegetable peeler

Directions:
In a medium-sized bowl, toss together the fennel and grapes.
Drizzle in the olive oil (and/or roasted almond oil) and lemon juice, and toss until the fennel and grapes are lightly but thoroughly coated. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, and toss again. Taste to adjust lemon juice, then cover and refrigerate until serving (but not longer than about 1 hour).
Just before serving, sprinkle in the almonds and cheese shavings. Toss quickly but thoroughly, and serve right away. Pass the pepper mill for those who want a spicy salad.

Fennel and Romaine Salad with Cracked Pepper Vinaigrette

Vinaigrette:
3 oranges
½ tsp red or white wine vinegar, optional
¼ tsp cracked black pepper
½ clove garlic, minced
1-1/2 Tbs grapeseed or canola oil
1-1/2 Tbs olive oil
¼ tsp salt, optional

Supreme oranges by trimming ends, then standing fruit upright. Remove peel and pith with knife, following curve of fruit from top to bottom. Hold fruit over bowl, and cut sections along membranes as if you were slicing out wedges. Set orange supremes aside and squeeze membrant “skeleton” over bowl to release remaining juice. Reserve 1 Tbs juice for vinaigrette.

Whisk together 1 Tbs orange juice, vinegar (if using) cracked pepper, and garlic in bowl. Whisk in oils until emulsified. Stir in salt (if using). Let stand 20 minutes.

Salad:
1 large fennel bulb, halved and thinly sliced
3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
½ small red onion, thinly sliced (or green onions!)
1 oz Parmesan cheese, shaved

Toss together fennel, romaine, onion, and orange segments in large bowl. Toss with Cracked pepper vinaigrette, and garnish with Parmesan.

Fresh Fennel and Lemon Slaw

serves 6+ (adapted from thekitchn.com)
***Slaws are very forgiving and can easily be made with a variety of veggies. Below is the original recipe. I am going to sub kale from this week’s bag, stems removed and thinly sliced, for the radicchio. If you still have cabbage, use that. But if not, I am going to get out my mandolin or use a chef’s knife, and sub carrots and leftover kohlrabi in a matchstick cut for the cabbage. I think you could use left over Napa caggabe but just add it before serving since it has a higher water content and will break down quickly after dressed. I might add some thinly sliced purplette onions from this week’s bag as well***
Ingredients:
1 large bulb fennel
1/2 head green cabbage (or carrots/kohlrabi)
1 head red radicchio (or kale)
2 lemons
3 tablespoons orange juice
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
Directions:
Finely chop the fronds of the fennel bulb. Thinly slice the stalks and bulb with a mandoline (or finely chop with a chef’s knife). Do the same with the cabbage (or kohlrabi and carrots) and radicchio (or kale), and toss all the vegetables together. Zest the lemons and toss with the vegetables. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Whisk the dressing ingredients together, taste, and adjust. Toss with salad and refrigerate for an hour before serving.

Greek Shaved Cabbage & Fennel Salad

serves 4 (Brassicas; 2014)

½ head savoy or green cabbage (about 1 lb.)
3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
½ tsp. Kosher salt
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed, quartered lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise (about 2 cups)
1 bunch green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
½ cup pitted and coarsely chopped Cerignola or other large, green olives
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
½ cup chopped fennel fronds, dill, parsley, and/or mint or any preferred fresh herbs

1. To shave the cabbage, cut out the core with the tip of a knife and place the cabbage cut side down. Cut the cabbage lengthwise (through the stem end) as thinly as possible. You should have about 6 cups shaved cabbage.
2. In a large serving bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Whisk in the oil to form an emulsified vinaigrette. Add the cabbage, fennel, and green onions and toss until the vegetables are well combined with the dressing. Chill the salad, covered, for up to 3 hours, or serve it right away.
3. Just before serving, add the olives, feta, and herbs and toss to mix. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed.

Kohlrabi, Fennel, Sugar Snap Pea Salad

from Robin Schow – serves 6

2 medium kohlrabi, peeled, shredded on medium holed shredder
1 small fennel bulb, quartered and very thinly sliced crosswise
½ lbs. sugar snap peas, ½ inch slices
Handful of chopped fennel leaves
¼ cup basil, minced
2-3 scallions, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon, minced
1 tsp. honey
Salt, fresh ground pepper to taste

1. Whisk together oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, honey, salt and pepper and set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, combine kohlrabi, fennel, sugar snap peas, scallions, and herbs.
3. Dress to taste.

Oven Potatoes with Fennel

20 ounces potatoes, cut in 1/2″ cubes
1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed and cut in 1″ slices
1 medium sweet onion or shallot, diced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced finely
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper — to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. In large bowl, combine potatoes, fennel, onion, parsley, oil, salt and pepper; toss gently until well coated. Arrange mixture in a single layer on a prepared baking sheet. Bake, turning occasionally, until potatoes are crisp on all sides, 30-35 minutes. Serve immediately.

Roasted Vegetable Salad

This recipe can be used with a mixture of vegetables that sounds good to you. The trick is to cut the vegetables in varying thicknesses based on how long they will take to roast since you’ll want them to all get done at the same time. Carrots or potatoes should be sliced thinner than summer squash or egg plant, for example.
Preheat oven to 425.
10 cups or so of fresh vegetables chopped for even cooking
possibilities include, but are not limited to potatoes, eggplant, onions, garlic, summer
squash, green beans, peppers, fennel, carrots, garlic.
Spread on a baking pan and toss with ¼ cup olive oil and sprinkle with salt – kosher salt, if you have some. Bake for 20 minutes or until vegetables are cooked through, stirring occasionally.
Let the vegetables cool.
Slice 2 cups of cherry tomatoes in half and toss with the vegetables along with 3 oz. of feta cheese and a vinaigrette dressing.

Vinaigrette Dressing:
1 Tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, pressed
½ teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons olive oil
fresh herbs – try basil, thyme, oregano to taste
Pepper to taste
The vegetables would also be good served over pasta or rice or topping a pizza.

Sausage, Ricotta, & Fennel Pizza

(allrecipes.com) Spring Hill member Shelly Johnson shares this recipe; the website gives it 4.5 stars out of 5 stars!

  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil

  • 4 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced

  • 1 Tbsp. minced garlic

  • 1 tsp. Italian seasoning

  • ½ tsp. crushed red pepper

  • ½ tsp. salt

  • 1 package prepared pizza crust

  • ½ lbs. bulk hot Italian sausage

  • ½ yellow onion

  • ½ bulb fennel, thinly sliced

  • ½ cup baby spinach leaves

  • ½ cup ricotta cheese

  • ¼ cup shaved Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add olive oil. Add tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper, and salt. Cook, stirring often, until tomatoes have mostly broken down, about 5 minutes. Spread tomato mixture over pizza crust.

3. Heat the same pan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until browned, about 6 minutes. Remove cooked sausage from the pan and set aside, reserving the grease in the pan. Add onion and fennel to the pan and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add spinach and cook until leaves begin to wilt, about 30 seconds.

4. Spread sausage & vegetable mixture over tomato-covered crust. Scatter dollops of ricotta cheese on top. Sprinkle with shaved Parmesan cheese.

5. Bake in preheated oven until cheese is melted and top is beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes.

Shaved Fennel and Strawberry Salad

Laura Murphy passed along this recipe for fennel – which also includes arugula!

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons minced shallots
4 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
4 1/2 teaspoons champagne vinegar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium head fennel, halved, cored, and cut crosswise into paper-thin slices
5 ounces baby arugula, washed and dried
1 pint strawberries, rinsed, hulled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
2 ounces Pecorino Romano cheese, shaved into thin strips
Instructions:
1. Place the shallots, both vinegars, the measured salt, and the pepper in a medium, nonreactive bowl. While whisking constantly, slowly add the oil in a thin stream until fully incorporated, about 1 minute.
2. Place the fennel in a large bowl, season with salt, and stir to coat. Add the arugula, strawberries, and pine nuts and gently toss to combine. Add the vinaigrette and toss to coat. Season with additional salt and pepper as desired. Add the Pecorino Romano, tossing lightly (so as not to break up the cheese) until just incorporated.

Tomato Fennel Salad

1 1/2 pounds heirloom tomatoes
1 small fennel bulb
2 tablespoons good olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Core the tomatoes and cut into wedges. Remove the top of the fennel (save some fronds for garnish) and slice the bulb very thinly crosswise with a knife or on a mandoline.

Toss the tomatoes and fennel in a bowl with the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped fennel fronds, season to taste, and serve.