SOME IDEAS from The Victory Garden Cookbook

Sprinkle chopped fennel leaves on hot baked oysters or clams.

Add cooked fennel to omelets, quiches, stuffings or sauces.

Add stalks to stocks for their flavor.

Add sliced sauteed fennel to fish chowders.

Cook fennel in your favorite tomato sauce.

Place stalks and leaves on barbeque coals as they do in France. The fennel scent permeates the grilled food.

Slice steamed or blanched fennel, cover with a vinaigrette and serve chilled.

Chop raw fennel and add to tuna fish sandwiches.

Slice fennel thin and layer with raw potatoes, cream and cheese to make a potato au gratin.

Shaved Fennel and Pistachio Salad

Aida Mollenkamp via chow.com
Difficulty: Easy

TIME/SERVINGS

Total: 5 mins

Active: 5 mins

Makes: 4 to 6 servings

3 medium heads fennel, very thinly sliced crosswise about 7 cups
1/2 cup roasted & salted pistachios, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely chopped or grated lemon zest

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Combine all ingredients in a large glass or ceramic bowl and toss until fennel is coated. Season well w/ S & P. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 1 day.

Fennel and Cheese for Dessert adapted from The Victory Garden Cookbook by M. Morash

Fennel bulbs
One great cheese, such as blue cheese or a local goat cheese
best olive oil
S & P

Wash and trim fennel bulbs. If small, cut in half; quarter larger ones. Serve with slices of cheese and pass the oil, salt, and pepper.

Fennel Salad from Adrienne Cox
1 Bulb fennel
1 bunch radish
1 Cucumber
A few carrots
Rice vinegar
Dill 1-2 tsp if fresh

Thinly slice fennel, carrots and radish. Seed and chop cucumber. Mix everything into a bowl and toss with some rice vinegar and some dill to taste. This salad gets better as the days go by and it marinates in the vinegar, but it is really tasty the day of as well.

History of Fennel from Mediterranean Vegetables by Clifford Wright

The earliest inscriptions that refer to fennel are Coptic, describing its use for treating eye ailments. In Greek mythology knowledge came to man from Olympus in the form of a fiery coal contained in a fennel stalk. The Greeks grew fennel, as did the Romans, and the bulb variety was probably developed in Italy.... During the Italian Middle Ages agrarian cults of benandanti, or good witches, claimed that they fought nocturnal battles with evil witches, who were armed with stalks of sorghum, while benandanti were armed with bundles of fennel.

And more fennel history:

It is mentioned in Gerard (1597), and Parkinson (Theatricum Botanicum, 1640) tells us that its culinary use was derived from Italy, for he says:
'The leaves, seede and rootes are both for meate and medicine; the Italians especially doe much delight in the use thereof, and therefore transplant and whiten it, to make it more tender to please the taste, which being sweete and somewhat hot helpeth to digest the crude qualitie of fish and other viscous meats. We use it to lay upon fish or to boyle it therewith and with divers other things, as also the seeds in bread and other things.'

Oven Potatoes with Fennel

20 ounces Yukon Gold potatoes, cut in 1/2" cubes
1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed and cut in 1" slices
1 medium sweet onion, 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.

Pickled Fennel with Orange from The Joy of Pickling by Linda Ziedrich
Julia suggests using these on a sandwich, on a cheese board/.cracker platter, or tossed in a green salad.

2 fennel bulbs, sliced thin
1 t pickling salt (kosher or other uniodized salt)
zest from ½ an orange, in strips
1 or 2 small fennel fronds (optional)
6 T white wine vinegar
6 T orange juice
1 T sugar
4 black peppercorns, cracked

In a bowl, toss the fennel slices with the salt. Let them stand 1 hour. Drain the fennel slices, and toss them with the orange zest. Pack gthem into a pint jar, placing a fennel frond or two against the side of the jar, if you like. In a saucepan, heat hte vinegar, orange juice, sugar, and peppercorns to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour the hot liquid over the fennel. Cap the jar, and let cool to room temp.
Store the pickle in the fridge . It will be ready to eat ina day or two, and will keep for at least several weeks.

LIZ'S FENNEL RECIPE

2 bunches
2 bulbs
2 tbsp.

2 tbsp.
2 to 3 tbsp. small red onions
fennel, cleaned and quartered
good olive oil
Pepper to taste
balsamic vinegar
parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put olive oil in bottom of roasting pan. Coat onions and fennel by rolling in pan. Pepper lightly. Cover with foil and seal tightly. Roast for 35 minutes until tender when pierced with fork. Uncover, sprinkle with balsamic vinegar and coat with parmesan. Cook uncovered at 375 for 10 to 15 minutes (til parmesan melts and lightly browned.) - Liz K. in SF

FENNEL, GRAPE, AND GORGONZOLA SALAD

1 lg. bulb
2 tbsp.
1 tbsp.
1/2 cup
2 oz.
1 cup
1 cup fennel bulb (sometimes called anise)
extra-virgin olive oil
fresh lemon juice
halved black grapes, seeded
Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)
thinly sliced radicchio
thinly sliced romaine (wash and dry before slicing)
Trim fennel stalks flush with bulb and discard any tough outer layers. Halve bulb lengthwise, discard core, and slice fennel thin. In a bowl toss together fennel, oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste and let stand 10 minutes. Add grapes, Gorgonzola, radicchio, and romaine and toss to combine.

FRESH FENNEL CONFIT

1 bulb
2 tbsp.
1 tbsp.
1/2 tsp.
1 tbsp. fennel
olive oil
butter
black pepper
Pernod liqueur
Trim fennel bulb, and cut into long julienne strips. Combine the oil and butter in a heavy saucepan over very low heat. Add the fennel and pepper, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes. Remove the cover, add the Pernod, and stir. Cook an additional 5 minutes.

Note from Julia: I made this confit without the Pernod and added some sliced onion with the fennel. It was great topped on a pizza, or can be served as a side dish.

The New Basics, Rosso & Lukins

Fennel Baked with Parmesan Cheese, from: Jane Grigson's Vegetable Book

Jane Grigson's note about this recipe: "My favourite fennel dish, the best one of all by far. The simple additions of butter and parmesan - no other cheese will do - show off the fennel flavour perfectly. The point to watch, when the dish is in the oven, is the browning of the cheese. Do not let it go beyond a rich golden-brown."

Julia's note: this dish can be halved or made even smaller for just two people with one or two large heads of fennel.

6 heads fennel, trimmed, quartered
butter
pepper
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Cook the fennel in salted water until it is tender. It is important to get this right: the fennel should not still be crisp, on the other hand it should not be floppy either. Drain it well and arrange in a generously buttered gratin dish. Be generous, too, with the pepper mill. Sprinkle on the cheese. Put into the oven at 400 degrees, until the cheese is golden brown and the fennel is bubbling vigorously in buttery juices.
FENNEL VINAIGRETTE DRESSING

1/2 cup
1/2 cup
1/4 cup
1 clove
pinch
pinch olive oil
green leaf fennel leaves
lemon juice
garlic, peeled
salt
sugar
In a small saucepan, heat oil, fennel leaves, lemon juice, crushed garlic and salt and sugar. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.

http://www.recipeland.com Copyright Ellen Ecker Ogden, From: The Cook's Garden catalog - Spring/Summer 1990 - page 20

CREAMY FENNEL SOUP

2 cups
1 bulb
1 sliver
2 tbsp.
1 tbsp.
1 tsp.
1/2 tsp.
1 tsp.
1 quart stock (chicken, beef, vegetable....)
fennel, about 1 pound
garlic
chopped onions
lemon juice (or more to-taste)
lemon zest, chopped
dried dillweed (or 1 1/2 tsp. fresh)
ground coriander
nonfat yogurt
Clean and slice the fennel bulb, reserving any greens for garnish. Cook the fennel in the stock with the garlic and shallots until soft. Puree in a blender with the lemon juice and zest, and the spices. Strain the puree if you wish a smoother texture. Combine well with the yogurt and chill. Serve garnished with chopped fennel greens or chopped cilantro.

from: http://www.recipeland.com

PARMESAN-TOPPED FENNEL PUREE

1 1/2 lb.
2 bulbs
2 cups
1/2 cup
2 tbsp.

2 tbsp.
2 tbsp. potatoes, peeled & quartered
fennel, trimmed and chopped
defatted chicken broth
skim milk
unsalted butter, melted
Salt to taste
White pepper to taste
grated Parmesan
flavored bread crumbs
Boil potatoes until tender; about 30 minutes. Drain well. Transfer to a mixing bowl and mash well. Meanwhile, in another saucepan, combine fennel with the broth and cook over medium heat until tender; about 15 minutes. Drain and puree in food processor. Add to potatoes along with the milk and butter. Then transfer to oven-proof casserole; top with Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Brown under broiler for a few minutes.

from: http://www.recipeland.com

ARUGULA, FENNEL AND ORANGE SALAD

1/4 cup
3 tbsp.
1 1/2 tbsp.
2 lg.
7 cups
1 lg.
1 sm. minced shallots
extra-virgin olive oil
fresh lemon juice
oranges
arugula (about 10 large bunches), trimmed
fennel bulb, quartered lengthwise, cored, thinly sliced crosswise
red onion, thinly sliced
Whisk minced shallots, olive oil and lemon juice in medium bowl to blend. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

Cut all peel and white pith from oranges. Using small sharp knife, cut between membranes to release segments. Combine arugula, fennel and onion in large bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Add orange segments; toss to combine. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper and serve. Serves 6.

Bon Appetit

GREEK STYLE FENNEL

3 bulbs
2 tbsp.
1 clove
2 lg.
1/4 tsp.
1/4 tsp.
2 tsp.
1/2 cup
handful
fennel
olive oil
garlic, minced
tomatoes, diced
salt
pepper
fresh chopped herb (chervil, marjoram...)
feta cheese
reserved fennel tops
Cut off the stalks and feathery leaves of the fennel. Chop and reserve some of the leaves for garnish. Cut fennel bulbs vertically into 8 sections. In a skillet, heat olive oil, ad garlic and fennel, and saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover, add salt, pepper and the fresh herb and cook over low heat until most of the liquid is reduced. Serve sprinkled with the garnish of feta cheese and reserved fennel tops.

More Recipes from a Kitchen Garden by Shepherd and Raboff

FENNEL, ORANGE AND CAPER SALAD
Not from Julia: I made this and it's REALLY good.

2 bulbs
1 tbsp.
1 tbsp. fennel
capers;drained
dill or chervil, fresh; chopped
DRESSING:
1/4
2 tsp.
1 tbsp.
2 tsp.
1/2 tsp.
4 tbsp.

orange, seeded
red wine vinegar
Dijon mustard
sugar
salt
olive oil

Trim the stalks from the fennel, cut the bulb in half lengthwise; then cut crosswise into very thin slices. Place in a large bowl with the capers and the dill.. Make the dressing. Cut the quarter orange in small pieces and place in the work bowl of a food processor with the vinegar, mustard, sugar and salt. .Process until smooth. With the motor running slowly, pour in the olive oil. Pour over the fennel, toss well and serve.

from: www.recipeland.com

FENNEL, MUSHROOM AND PARMESAN CHEESE SALAD
You can prepare the dressing an hour or two in advance, but the salad ingredients won't keep pristine for more than half an hour.

DRESSING:
1/2 cup
2 tbsp.

1 tbsp.
less 1 Tbsp. mild olive oil
fresh lemon juice
salt & freshly ground white pepper to taste
a tiny pinch of nutmeg
firmly packed fennel leaves, finely chopped
SALAD:
4 sm. bulbs
1 oz.
4

fennel, sliced paper-thin
Parmesan cheese, shaved paper-thin
plump mushrooms, about 1 oz each, slided paper-thin
freshly ground white pepper to taste
Use a fork to blend the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Taste for seasoning. Cover and keep in a cool place. Combine the fennel and cheese in a mixing bowl. Beat the dressing to blend it and add 1/4 cup to the bowl. Blend carefuly with your hands - the cheese tends to sink to the bottom, and you don't want to end up with just crumbles. Spread a handful of this mixture on 4 salad plates, filling the plates. Heap the mushroom slices lightly over the fennel, leaving a curly border of the fennel. Beat the dressing again and spoon 1 Tbsp. over the mushrooms on each plate. Grind pepper over the salads and serve at once as a separate course with bread sticks.

The Kitchen Garden Cookbook, Sylvia Thompson

ITALIAN FENNEL SALAD

Thinly slice 1 medium-size fennel bulb and 1 unpeeled orange. Arrange - alternating and overlapping or however you like - on two salad plates. Strew with half a dozen salt-cured or Kalamata olives, sprinkle each plate with 1/2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, a few drops of fresh lemon juice, a tsp. of finely chopped fennel leaves, salt and freshly ground white pepper. Serve at once or let the ingredients mingle an hour or so. Serves 2.

The Kitchen Garden Cookbook, Sylvia Thompson

PREPARING FENNEL

Baking: First, braise the fennel for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a baking dish and add just 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Cover tightly and bake at 350 degrees until just tender and beginning to brown. If desired, uncover toward the end to allow any excess liquid to evaporate, then sprinkle with breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan cheese, and brown under the broiler before serving. Cooking time: about 1 hour.

Braising: Braise fennel in broth, tomato sauce, vermouth or sherry (diluted 1-to-1 with water); add lemon zest, garlic, or onion for extra flavor. Braised fennel is delicious hot, warm, or chilled. Place fennel slices, or halved or quartered small fennel bulbs, in a sauce pan and add just enough boiling liquied to barely cover the vegetable. Simmer uncovered, turning occasionally, until the fennel is tender, adding more liquid if necessary. Cooking time: 25 to 40 minutes.

Sauteing: Cut fennel into slivers and heat in a small amount of stock, tossing and stirring it frequently. For extra flavor, cook chopped onion and garlic along with fennel. A sprinkling of lemon juice and zest makes a nice finishing touch. Cooking time: 10 to 15 minutes.

Steaming: Fennel steamed until crisp-tender can be covered with your favorite sauce or marinated in a vinaigrette, chilled, and served as a salad. To steam it, place whole or halved bulbs in a vegetable steamer and cook over boiling water until just tender. Cooking time: 20 to 30 minutes.

The Wellness Encyclopedia of Food and Nutrition, Shelden Margen, M.D.

CREAMY FENNEL SOUP
adapted from: http://www.recipeland.com

2 cups stock (chicken, beef, vegetable....)
1 Fennel bulb, about 1 pound
1 Sliver garlic
2 Tablespoons Chopped onions
1 Tablespoon Lemon juice (or more to‑taste)
1 teaspoon Lemon zest, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Dried dillweed (or 1 1/2 ‑t fresh)
1 teaspoon Ground coriander
1 quart Nonfat yogurt

Clean and slice the fennel bulb, reserving any greens for garnish. Cook the fennel in the stock with the garlic and shallots until soft. Puree in a blender with the lemon juice and zest, and the spices.

Strain the puree if you wish a smoother texture. Combine well with the yogurt and chill. Serve garnished with chopped fennel greens or chopped cilantro

FENNEL STUFFED WITH CREAM CHEESE AND KALAMATA OLIVES

1 large fennel bulb (about 1 pound)
3‑ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup drained Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped

Trim fennel stalks flush with bulb, reserving fronds, and cut outer 2 layers loose at base, removing them carefully and reserving rest of bulb for another use. Chop reserved fronds. In a small bowl cream together cream cheese, olives, and chopped fronds. Spread inside of larger fennel layer with cream cheese mixture and press back of other layer onto filling firmly. Chill fennel, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, at least 1 hour or up to overnight. Unwrap fennel and cut crosswise into 1/3‑inch‑thick slices. Cut slices crosswise into 1 1/2‑inch‑wide sections.