Why not try . . . fennel?

Recipes: Braised fennel and leeks, Fennel salad, Grilled fennel

Don't we love vegetables!? Yes we do, but sometimes we get just a teeny bit tired of the vegetables we love. Same old, same old. That's why it's fun to try something new.

Of course I already knew about fennel. I'd eaten it in restaurants mixed in with other things, but I'd never cooked with it. Wasn't it very licorice-y? I do like black licorice, but that's candy. Wouldn't it be too strong and maybe sweet? It just didn't seem like it would be good as a vegetable.

Oh, how wrong I was!

Braised Fennel and Leeks

• 2 medium or 3 small leeks
• 1 small to medium fennel bulb
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup good chicken stock, or vegetable stock if you want to make this dish vegetarian
• 2 tablespoons butter

Cut ends off the leeks and cut them in half lengthwise. Wash them very carefully as they often harbor sand. Then cut them in half crosswise and arrange them in a medium skillet or dish that can go both on the burner of the stove and in the oven.

Cut the stalks off the fennel bulb and cut the bulb in half lenthwise. Cut slices or wedges from the bulb halves, no thicker than the pieces of leek. Arrange the fennel in the dish with the leeks.

Turn the oven on to 350 degrees F. 

Pour the chicken stock over the vegetables and sprinkle the butter cut in pieces over it all. Add a small amount of sea salt and a good grind of pepper. Heat over medium flame until the liquid boils, then turn down the flame and cook for a minute or two while the oven finishes heating.

Turn off the flame and cover the skillet/dish loosely with aluminum foil. Place in the heated oven for about 30 minutes, or until the liquid turns syrupy and the vegetables are very tender.

Serve next to anything - meats, rice, even pasta. You'll find it has the tiniest, most delicate, hint of aniseYum!!!

Fennel and Arugula Salad

Arugula and shaved or very thinly sliced fennel bulbs are wonderful tossed with a light vinaigrette made with sea salt, a little freshly ground pepper, 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Variations on this theme can add to the deliciousness - sliced radishes and shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese are especially good.

Grilled Fennel

Cut off the leafy tops and stem ends of fennel bulbs. Cut the bulbs in half lengthwise and cut each half into two or three equal wedges. Salt them and steam them for about 20 minutes, until the fennel is tender but still intact.

Make a small vinaigrette for brushing on the wedges before and after grilling: A few chopped fennel fronds, a tablespoon or so of extra virgin olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, and a little chopped anchovy if you wish. 

Thread the steamed wedges on long skewers and brush with the oil mixture plus season with salt and pepper. Grill over prepared coals until nicely browned, turning frequently. Brush again with oil mixture just before serving.