Fennel

[the.fee.fairy]

What do i do with Fennel?
We've got a couple of bulbs that came in the veg box, and haven't got a clue what to do with them. Last time was around christmas, so i shoved one up the turkey's backside.

What do i do with them now?

[magnuscanis]

I've occasionally used fennel in stir fries to good effect.

That's about all I've done with the plant itself, although I'm sure I've also had roast fennel on occasion. I use fennel seeds quite often - I'm currently eating a loaf of home-baked bread to which I added some.

- Magnus

[Cassiepod]

They are fabulous stir frys a good one, sliced thin in salad is lovely steamed and served with your roast is good great base flavour in soups. In fact I would probably use it very much like celery in terms of flavour (Obviously different actual flavour but similar use I mean)

[Shirley]

I adore fennel - baked, boiled or fried!! I can't remember whether you are vegetarian or not, but it goes really well with good traditionally reared pork.

It makes good soup too :)

[The Chili Monster]

Fennel goes really well with most fish.

[chadspad]

Cut it into big chunks or even just halve it, drizzle with olive oil or sesame oil and bake. Yummy!

[Andy Hamilton]

from the fennel page on the main site -

Fennel Sauce

This goes well on fish.
Ingredients

40g (1.5 oz) butter
1 heaped tablespoon Chopped Fennel
30g (1 oz) Plain Flour
420 ml (0.75 uk pint, 1.75 us cups) Water
Seasoning
Method/Procedure

Melt a two thirds of the butter and cook the fennel in it for about 30 seconds. Blend in the flour and gradually add the water, and keep beating the mixture smoothly over a low heat. Cook gently until the sauce has become creamy and add the seasoning and rest of the butter.
Braised Fennel

This is one of my favourites and I will often use it as the 'meat' when I am cooking 'meat' and two veg for my vegetarian girlfriend.
Ingredients

1 Fennel bulb
Half pint of vegetable stock
1 Clove of Garlic
Sunflower or olive oil

Get a metal based saucepan and heat the oil. Meanwhile cut the tops off the fennel bulb so that you are left with only the bulbous part. Now cut it into quarters and fry each side of the pieces in the oil until lightly browned.

Crush and chop the garlic and mix it in with the stock. Now pour the stock into the saucepan and boil until it reduces to become a coating sauce.

Serve with some steamed vegetables and a smile.

[Thurston Garden]

I am growing some for the fist time this year!

I have this site linked on my blog which is good for, erm, veg box recipes...

http://www.vegbox-recipes.co.uk/

[ohareward]

A good way to cook fennel is to slice it about 5mm thick, place it in a roasting pan and place either fish or meat on the top and roast or bake as normal.

Robin

[the.fee.fairy]

Thay all sound good!!

Thankyou!

How do you grow fennel? Can you plant a bulb and it will multiply, or do you have to grow from seed?

[Wombat]

What do i do with Fennel?
We've got a couple of bulbs that came in the veg box, and haven't got a clue what to do with them. Last time was around christmas, so i shoved one up the turkey's backside.

What do i do with them now?

I am just sooooooo thankful I am not a turkey....

And if I was I would NOT accpet an invitation to your place for tea!

Nev

[Cheezy]

Fennel is great.

One of the best things is fennel and radish salad (Jamies book?)

thinnly slice the radish and fennel put in cold water in the fridge to extra crisp up. (roughly twice as much fennel to radish)

Mean while make a simple dressing of freshly squeezed lemon and extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.

Drain and dry the fennel and radish add the dressing, serve straight away, or it gets even better later when the radish bleeds into the dressing and makes it go pink!. My OH goes mental for it.

Other fennelly things :
makes a great risotto
Slice into thick 1cm pieces, olive oil on a tray put in oven/grill for 15 mins to soften /brown eat with grilled fish.
Slice again in 1cm pieces oil and put on BBQ to grill, grill with other veg's like red peppers,asparagus,carrots,etc and add to a couscous salad.

Growing....can be a right pain.

You need Florence fennel seeds to get a bulb. Plant it too early and it'll bolt
Don't water enough ...and it'll bolt
Needs sun water, and it's recommended you earth the bulbs up to stop it getting blown over and....bolting.
Did I mention it bolts at a drop of a hat

If I ever get one that doesn't bolt, I'm going to let it go to seed just to collect a non bolting variety

[Jarmara]

chop it into quaters chuck it on the barbie and drizzle with olive oil yummy yummy

[Luke]

I grew it last year and it looks great especially the flowers.

The taste does nothing for me though so I've given it a miss this year!

[magnuscanis]

You need Florence fennel seeds to get a bulb. Plant it too early and it'll bolt
Don't water enough ...and it'll bolt
Needs sun water, and it's recommended you earth the bulbs up to stop it getting blown over and....bolting.
Did I mention it bolts at a drop of a hat

I think I'm spotting the general pattern here.

Please forgive a newbie question, but what does bolting mean? I gather it's something you generally don't want for your vegetables, but I imagine it doesn't mean they get up and run away.

- Magnus