I have fennel....

[Stumpedasatree]

What lovely thing can I make with it?

I love it roasted with tons of garlic, capers and chilli, then stirred into spaghetti. Cover the fennel for the first bit of roasting and add a little extra oil to use as the sauce.

Try a fennel salad. Just get a clean white plate. Put your fennel on it. Light a candle. Just breathe. Then take a photograph of your fennel.
Then you can eat it.

I use it in risotto instead of onion, it gives a lovely flavour. I read somewhere that it's more authentic. Don't know if that's true.

I would add peeled and thinly sliced oranges to Birdy's salad, drizzled with a little squeezed orange juice and olive oil, and be at one with the universe.

Ooh I love pork and fennel Ragu. Delicious!

Sauté leeks or shallots and some sliced fennel in butter or olive oil until nice and soft. Lay a couple cod fillets on top, pop a lid on and let it steam. Salt and pepper on top. Once the fish is cooked, keeping the pan on the heat, lift out the fillets, stir in some prawns and some more sliced fennel (I like some more cooked and some more raw for a nice balance of flavour and texture). Frozen peas too or spinach, if you’d like. Fold in some crème fraiche, give a gentle stir. Fold in the cod. Parsley & lemon on top if you’d like. Really nice with mash or sourdough bread.

Cut fennel in half, drizzle with olive oil and roast. Then slice taleggio cheese (or Camembert) on top and grill till it melts. Serve with crusty bread or focaccia.

You could make a bonfire. A lovely bonfire (sorry, hate all things aniseed/fennel flavour...)

The Hairy Bikers chicken and fennel traybake

Ooh I know I know!!

Nigella's fennel gratin. It's incredible with everything. Salivating thinking about it

https://thehappyfoodie.co.uk/recipes/nigella-lawsons-fennel-gratin/

Ottolenghi traybake of chicken, fennel, clementines and pernod

ottolenghi.co.uk/recipes/roasted-chicken-with-clementines-arak

PS I usually take the chicken thighs out first, and then leave the fennel in for an extra 20-30 mins to really cook down while the chicken rests. I've also been known to use white wine and a couple of star anise if I don't have any ouzo/arak/pernod/ouzo hanging about.

You can’t do anything nice with fennel. I’ve hated it for years but tried it again earlier this year as DD wanted to try it and it’s absolutely revolting, raw and cooked.

I’m normally against food waste but do yourself a favour and chuck it out for the birds. It’s offensively unpleasant. It’s one of two vegetables I won’t eat. The other is celeriac.

Love it. Usually have it alongside roast chicken, but lots of other options. I once had the most amazing pud in a v posh restaurant (fennel and olive oil - set menu and had no idea what to expect ). Wish I had the recipe and time to recreate. Tuiles and mousse and all sorts!

I can think of a couple of things… one is to sauté it with some onions and spinach and then squeeze out the excess water, toast some pine nuts in a pan and mix through some strained ricotta and mozzarella and an egg. Roll up in buttered layers of filo pastry and cook until golden, That will be the most delicious spanakopita ever.
The next one is to sauté again with onions and then add to lovely chicken stock. Add frozen peas for colour. Cook until tender. Blitz with a generous handful of fresh mint leaves and a dash of cream. Add pepper. Stunning colour and zingy, fresh flavour! (Also crumbled, crunchy pancetta or bacon on top doesn’t go amiss too!)

Braise it in a pan to get some colour then cover with stock and garlic and simmer down until stock is very reduced and it gets thick. Add in cream and Parmesan cheese. This with roast chicken is simply fab.

Ottolenghi fennel and feta salad 😋

theottolenghiproject.wordpress.com/2013/05/09/fennel-salad-with-pomegranate-seeds-feta-and-sumac/

Delia's recipe for caramelised fennel (made with butter and cider) is gorgeous:

www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/sauteedcaramelisedfe_67187

Fennel and lemon risotto! Delicious by itself or with fish

Oh, who can resist delicious fennel? Ways I like it include...
Fennel, avocado, pink grapefruit, and black grape salad.
Fennel gratin.
Chicken tagine with oranges & fennel, or apricots, salted lemon & fennel.
Fennel risotto, asparagus or peas or very young broad beans are good additions to this.

Fennel works well with fish, especially salmon or trout, chicken and rabbit, pork, shellfish. I often add a splash of Pastis to any fennel dish to intensify the aniseed flavour.

Oh I'm spoilt for choice, thanks all! I'm leaning towards a risotto:)

I just sort of sauté it till it’s quite brown and cooked down. Great with sausages

Great side dish - good with white fish: tomato fennel gratin

Great veggie dish if you have disappointed carnivores in attendance: Sicilian fennel and parmesan dumplings in tomato sauce

I like fennel with pork sausage meat, fried then chuck in some milk/fish sauce/stock/passata. Stir through some pasta. I only use the dried fennel though, which I toast and crush.