It's not Anise!

I wanted something out of the ordinary for my dinner guest this weekend. So off to market I went. Passing over the asparagus and root vegetables, I bought a head of fennel, as it spoke springtime to me.


I have such fond memories of fennel. Every Thanksgiving it found its way into the Cornucopia that my mother filled with fall fruits and vegetables. After a big dinner, fennel always seemed to calm our overstuffed bellies.

Finnocchio, its Italian name and country of origin, has been growing since the 17th century. It was brought to the United States in 1824 when our Italian ambassador, Thomas Appleton sent seeds to Thomas Jefferson. Used in the experimental garden of Monticello, Jefferson began the cultivation of fennel in America. Today it is grown mostly in Northern California; where climate and the Mediterranean diet most mimic that of Italy.

Fennel, while related, is not Anise. Florence fennel, with its sweet-scent and crispness, is my preferred variety and one that you will easily find in American grocery stores and farmers markets. You will get your money’s worth, as each part from feathery greens down to the bulb, is edible.

Fennel can be enjoyed raw, baked, grilled, stir-fried or pureed. It is available year round but is at peak season from early fall through spring.

Selection: choose hard, bright fennel. Look for round, squatty bulbs. The outer layer should not be dry, split or browning along the edges. The tops should be brilliant green, aromatic and fluffy.

Storage: Unfortunately fennel does not store well. Refrigerate, plastic wrapped, for a few days.

Preparation: cut off the greens, wrap and refrigerate. Trim stalks and tough outer layers. Reserve these pieces for soup stock or for roasting poultry..

While I enjoy eating fennel raw like celery sticks, here is one of my favorite salad recipes:



Fennel, Orange, and Green Olive salad with Lemon Dressing

16 medium green olives

1 or 2 lemons

1 tablespoon orange juice

1/3 cup finely diced red onion

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon white pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium Florence fennel bulbs

2 medium navel oranges

Directions:

1. Pit and thinly slice the olives.

2. Zest one lemon measuring ¼ of zest

3. Squeeze lemon to yield 3 tablespoons of juice

4. Mix juice, zest, orange juice, salt and pepper. Add olive oil and emulsify.

5. Add onion and olives to liquid.

6. Remove greens and stems and set aside for another use. Remove any dry or fibrous sections of the bulb. Thinly slice the bulb on a vegetable slicer.

7. Arrange fennel on salad plates.

8. Cut and peel the oranges, removing the pith. Slice into very thin rounds and cut into quarters. Arrange around the fennel. Top with dressing, arranging olives and onions evenly on the salad.

Serves 4