Finding Fennel

Black jelly beans and a bad run-in with a roasted fennel pizza convinced me that I couldn't stand fennel.

Happily my new mandoline and a fennel salad recipe in Dave Lieberman's new cookbook nudged me to give the vegetable one more shot.

Fennel isn't overpowering after all. It is fast becoming a new favorite.

The mandoline shaves thin ribbons of fennel that have a bright crunch with a subtle anise flavor. Fennel is also high in antioxidants, Vitamin C, and fiber. Some say fennel helps with digestive problems.

For a simple winter side dish, shave the bulb of one fennel, toss it with some olive oil and the juice of a blood orange. Use the leaves, or fronds, of the fennel as garnish.

As soon as you cut fennel, drop it into cold water with some lemon juice. This stops the cut edges of the fennel from browning.

Purdue reminds us that many people say anise when they mean fennel, but we "should not be confused with true anise, a seed spice also with a strong licorice aroma."

Are there some vegetables you're haven't enjoyed in the past? Ready to give them second try?

Comments (9)

Fennel is one of my favorites. My boyfriend, however, winces every time someone brings up this veggie. Maybe this recipe can turn him around too!

Mmmmm fennel! I love it! (and anise too) I pretty much like all the stinky veggies (fennel, cabbage, brussels sprouts) and in fact, I have a head of Napa cabbage I think I'll saute up with some olive oil and ceci for tonight's dinner. YUM! Thanks for the inspiration!

I laughed as I read your entry. I swore I would never ever like broccoli, until one day I was forced to eat it at my (now) mother-in-law's house when she made broccoli and rigatoni for dinner and I was too scared I'd offend her by telling her I'd rather lick the floor than eat the green stuff. Then I had a bite...and my broccoli-hating world was turned upside-down. Now I can't get enough of it.

I still can't quite develop a taste for cauliflower or radishes though, no matter how good they look.

I have converted to fennel as a substitute for celery in green salad and tuna and chicken salad.

Ugh, I still abhor fennel. Wild fennel grows like crazy all over my area and I can barely stand walking by the stuff. I've totally turned the corner with cauliflower, though. I swore off it when I was three (after I was forced to eat an inadvertent second helping in preschool), but recently have become a huge fan of the stuff, especially curried. So maybe fennel's not a lost cause. But I'm not holding my breath.

I also don't like fennel (I don't like anise or licorice much iether), but I think a good recipe could turn me around. A friend once made a stir-fry that included some fennel, and it didn't seem as strong in there.

Count me in as one of the fennel/anise/licorice dislikers. I think anise is one of those flavors that you either love or hate - possibly its potency? Similar to the cilantro-haters or gorgonzola/blue cheese-haters.

Regardless, I bought some fennel pollen on a visit to Zingerman's a couple weeks ago and have been experimenting - in VERY small amounts - with adding a hint of fennel-y-ness to some marinades. So far, so good. But still, just a hint of fennel. I haven't been brave enough to venture into actual bulbs of fennel.

I love fennel! We ordered in from Snack Taverna on Bedford the other day and got the Country Sausage with fennel and dried pear spoon sweet. So so good!. The sweetness and slight spiciness of the fennel worked really well with the strongly flavored sausage. I think I might try to create my own version of this dish with merguez. Yum.

By the way, can anyone tell me what is “dried pear spoon sweet”?

I never went near fennel till an Italian-American mother of a friend served it dressed in vinagrette with salad greens. The milder than expected flavor and great crunch converted me on the spot. (Most recently I steamed some slices and added it to broth with tortellini.)

Daikon, are you next?