Become a Working CSA Member.  Learn more →
🔍

Category: Fennel

  • Roasted Fennel

    If you haven’t tried roasting fennel you should. Roasting fennel brings out sweet and caramel flavors and the strong licorice taste of raw fennel becomes very subtle and more rounded. Much how onions become sweet and less sharp when they are roasted.

    I think roasted fennel is a simple elegant side dish. Here is some roasted fennel with this simple cauliflower sauce.

    You want to roast fennel pretty hot and quick to make sure it caramelizes. Cut up your fennel bulb add some olive oil and salt and pepper and roast it in a 400-425F oven for 20-25 minutes.

    I hope you give it a try.

    Mo

     

     

  • Shaved Raw Zucchini and Fennel

    Every summer I have a favorite new vegetable or preparation. One year it was shishito peppers. another year it was grilling fava beans .

    This year my favorite thing I am eating again and again is shaved zucchini salads. I have made this 3 times in the last 10 days. Last night we had a gathering of about 12 people and everyone commented on how good it was, ‘you really upped your game’ was said about this salad by two different guests!

    IMG_2341

    High accolades for something so basic and easy to put together. It’s utterly summery deliciousness.

    You really don’t even need to measure anything. I am writing down roughly the amounts I used. Use what you like and what you have on hand.

    1 ¼ pounds zucchini
    1/2 cup torn soft herbs like mint leaves, basil, dill, fennel fronds or cilantro
    1/2 to 1 cup hard cheese like Parmesan or Romano or feta
    Fennel, as much or as little as you like, cored and thinly shaved-optional but delicious
    Juice of 1 lemon or lime, plus more if needed
    2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
    Salt and pepper,

    I added a handful of  sliced almonds this time, any nut will do. I highly recommend you do too.  The added texture with the crunch of the fennel and the firm raw texture of the zucchini and the nuts and hard cheese are magic. Use what you have but don’t leave any of the main elements out.

    Use a vegetable peeler or mandolin ( I used a vegetable peeler like this ) to thinly shave the zucchini lengthwise. In a large mixing bowl, toss together the zucchini, herb, hard cheese, fennel (if using), lemon juice and olive oil and nuts. Season with salt and pepper. Add more lemon juice or olive oil to taste.

    You’ll have the core leftover after shaving the zucchini. It’s mostly water and seeds, don’t use the core, just give that to the chickens :-)

    Now dump the well mixed and seasoned ingredients in the mixing bowl into your serving bowl, pile it high in a serving bowl.

    IMG_2339

    All the good stuff falls to the bottom while you are mixing so inverting it from one vesicle to another is imperative with salads IMO.  Get all the good stuff back to the top and enjoy.

    IMG_2353

    I’m making this again tonight I think.

    I hope you try this. Have a great week, see you at pickup.

    Mo

  • Shaved Fennel Salad, and other Fennel Ideas

    Last week I mentioned that I really like fennel raw. I think it tastes best raw if it is shaved as thin as you can possibly get it. I used a food possessor for this salad, you can use a mandoline if you have one. Or, just use your knife and as you are cutting think ‘thin fennel, thin fennel’.

    I got this recipe  from 101 Cookbooks. It is really basic and, like most of the recipes on Heidi Swanson website it starts with a great idea that you can adapt to whatever you have on hand. I had fennel, zucchini, and the ingredients for the dressing. I also had some zucchini blossoms leftover from Thursday’s CSA pickup. I tore them up and added them to the salad. The blossoms add a nice floral/zucchini flavor and I think they are beautiful.

    IMG_2837

    The main idea here is to cut the fennel very thin, and to let the flavors meld and mellow for a hour or so with the dressing before you eat.

    I love roasted fennel, but I don’t love the oven on in the summer. Pan roasting is a great option when you don’t want to heat up the whole house with the oven on.

    Just heat up a pan to medium and add some oil, I used olive oil. Add your sliced fennel, don’t crowd the pan or you will steam your fennel, not roast it.

    IMG_2830

    Keep the heat to medium and after 8 or 10 minutes turn the fennel. You want it to slowly brown and get really soft and caramelized. This is after about 10 minutes, go slow.

    IMG_2834

    This is going to take about 25 or 30 minutes.

    IMG_2840

    You want it really ‘done’. Yum.

    IMG_2843

    OK. What else? How about those fennel fronds? What to do with them? You can snip off the tender bits and use them like any herb, stuff them in a chicken or fish and roast or grill the fish or chicken.Or, you could make some tea. Pour boiling water over the fronds and wait 20 or 30 minutes and strain it. Drink it warm or chill it and drink it cold.

    IMG_2842

    ….there are a lot of fronds in a fennel bunch. I have been using them for my flower bouquets as green filler.

    IMG_2848

    What a pretty and delicious plant. Have fun with your fennel this week. I’ll be at several of the pick-ups. Let me know what you are doing with your CSA vegetables. I love to hear from you! Have a great week.

    Mo

     

     

     

  • Grilled Fennel

    Amy said she and Wyatt have been enjoying the beautiful fennel we have at the Farm right now grilled. I usually pan roast or shave fennel raw into salads. So, I thought I would try some grilled fennel for a change.

    Before we get to the fennel, look at what I have from my CSA share.

    IMG_2797

    Dang, what a haul. Let’s start with that fennel. Cut the fronds off and trim the bulbs up so they look a bit like this.

    IMG_2798

    These fennel bulbs are pretty small and tender. You can leave them whole to grill, leave the root on so they don’t fall apart. Salt, pepper and oil them and toss them on the grill.

    IMG_2800

    Do the same with any other vegetables you have, you might as well cook the rest of your vegetables, once the grill is hot. Any leftovers will be good with just about anything else you cook this week. I grilled my onions and zucchini and kale too.

    IMG_2803

    The fennel, zucchini, and onions took about 20 minutes to cook. The kale only takes a few minutes. When the fennel is done you will want to cut off the tough root. You can either slice it up or serve it whole. I think it is pretty left whole, but easier to eat cut up. Do what works for you.

    IMG_2806

    We had our grilled fennel and vegetables over polenta. There were a lot of leftover grilled vegetables for a few more meals this week. I liked the fennel grilled. The texture is a bit like cooked celery and the flavor is less anise pronounced than raw fennel. I must confess, I do like the fresh crunch of raw fennel. I hope we have more fennel bulbs in our CSA future.

    IMG_2827

    Enjoy these dog days of summer, and all the great food we are getting.

    Mo

     

  • Kohlrabi and Fennel Salad

    I like dishes using foods that look the same but have very different textures and tastes. This is one of those dishes.
    Kohlrabi and fennel and onions don’t look anything alike before they are cut up.

    Kohlrabi and Fennel

    Cut up they look very similar. If I had used a white or yellow onion it would be hard to tell what is what.

    Slice Onions and Parsley

    Kohlrabi and Fennel Salad

    1 peeled Kohlrabi bulb
    2 fennel bulbs
    1 small onion
    a handful of parsley
    juice of a lemon or lime
    a good glug of olive oil
    salt and pepper and red pepper if you like

    Slice and chop all the vegetables and parsley very thin, dress the vegetables with oil and citus juice and season well and toss.
    Very simple and delicious. All the textures and sharp flavors make this a very sophisticated side.

    Julieened

    I am loving these warm weather crops! Hope you are too.