I have just received some fennel in my veg box..what do I do with it?

[isaidno]

Help please!

there is a lovely jamie oliver recipe for trout and fennel called tasty fish bake or some such. do a search on teh bbc recipe bit. honestly it is delicious.

here

Italian chicken stew. Can provide recipe when I get home this evening if you're interested. It's delicious with nice crusty bread and a chilled glass of white wine.

Like little lapin, I use it in salads, esp shredded v. thin and tossed with orange segments, and red onion.

Once, when I was short a vegetable for roast dinner, I thin sliced onions and fennel, and sauteed them together for a minute, then added white wine, reduced,added cream, and reduced again then let that simmer for a bit but not long enough to sog up, and added a little parmesan. That sounds weird, but dh raved about it, and he's an utter food ponce.

i saw fennel pesto the other day .

Ditto!

I've never braised it your way - that'll go on my to do list for this week!

This is great, it's like having your own personal Delia.

give it to someone else.....uuuurrrrgggghhh

Do you like aniseed? You can roast fennel bulbs - I ate one once thinking it was a roast potato

Fennel pesto?

Lapin, you stay strangely quiet regarding the abundance of white wine.......

Also, makes a yummy pasta sauce - slice thin and roast it in the oven with olive oil, lemon juice, small bit of lemon zest, half a chilli and some capers (at about 200 for 30 min and cover the tray with foil so it doesn't burn). Add more lemon juice and olive oil and some parsley, toss with spaghetti and parmesan. One bulb makes enough for 2 people.

We have fennel coming in our veg box tomorrow, and that's the fate in store for it!

My dh really likes fennel. I'm not so keen. So he chops it up and hides it in the spag bol!

vonsudanfed.......yum.

lapin, fennel pesto - just replace the basil?

I've done sorrel pesto before, but never fennel. Do you just use the fronds, or the actual bulb?

I'm the same as you, I detest pernod or aniseed, but in fennel it just seems more acceptable.

I don't mind aniseed, but as a fennel virgin, think i ought to try it cooked first.

would like to see that chicken recipe bewilderbeast.

Might try that cream and wine thing too..

Thanks!

Ta

isaidno - you go from fennel virgin to fennel addict quite quickly...!

I luck out because although there are no box deliveries up here, but our local tesco keeps buying in organic fennel then selling it off for buttons when no-one buys it....cue jh!

They do it with passionfruit, too - it's like they see them go wrinkly, and think, greugh, that's off.

All the more for me, then

Italian chicken stew:

300g boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs cut into chunks
1 onion finely chopped
1 fennel bulb sliced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 dried chilli, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tin chopped tomatos
1 tin cannelini beans
200ml chicken or veg stock (may need more)
black olives (a good handful, stoned)

Brown chicken in olive oil, remove from pan. Cook the onion and fennel gently for a few minutes to soften. Return the chicken to the pan. Add the tomatos, garlic, chilli, oregano and stock. Bring to the boil.. SEason, cover and simmer for 20 mins. Add the drained beans and olives, cook for 5 more minutes, serve with crusty bread.

Can't remember where the recipe came from so I'm afraid I can't credit the creator.

It's lovely in a stirfry, especially a fishy (eg prawns, or anything in oyster sauce) one.

sorry I was at work and recipe book was at home!