By Kathryn van
The statuesque fennel plant was highly prized by the Romans. The gladiators added it to their food in the belief that it would make them fierce. Legionnaires took fennel seed to maintain good health and Roman ladies ate the whole plant to prevent obesity. In medieval
All that and it sits forgotten on most herb-cupboard shelves.
Fennel and fish go together like bread and butter. The mild licorice-like taste of the leaves is divine on lighter fish like cod, flounder or sole and the stronger taste of the seeds is a must with oilier fish such as salmon and mackerel. It can do so much more, though. The leaves and tender stems can be chopped into salads or used to top cooked vegetables and the seeds add depth to sauces, breads and crackers.
Fennel is a perennial plant that grows to anywhere from 5 to 7 feet tall and has dark green, feathery leaves. It is covered with clusters of tiny yellow flowers in mid summer, which turn to dark-brown fruits in the autumn. It grows in just about any soil except clay and loves full sun. Just don’t grow it too close to dill or coriander; they will cross pollinate and ruin the flavor of both plants.
One subspecies of fennel – called Florence fennel or bulb fennel – forms a succulent bulbous rootstock that can be eaten raw or cooked as a vegetable. This plant only grows to about 3 feet and it is grown as an annual.
The leaves and tender stems can be harvested as needed and the ripe seeds are collected in the fall. The “bulbs” of the Florence fennel also are harvested in the fall. The seeds can be dried, but the rest of the plant loses a lot of its flavor through drying. The bulbs are best eaten fresh and the leaves and stems can be frozen for later.
Fennel Flan
This savory custard is great as an appetizer or a side dish. It uses three parts of the fennel plant – bulb, seeds and leaves – and has a wonderful licorice-like taste. NOTE: In
Pastry:
1 cup flour
pinch of salt
3 ounces butter, cut into pieces
water
Filling:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 bulb Florence fennel, sliced
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
2 tablespoons chopped fennel leaves
4 eggs
1 cup light cream
salt and pepper
For the pastry, sift the flower and salt into a bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or a fork until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add enough water to form a dough. Roll out to line an 8-inch quiche dish. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. For the filling, heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes or until soft. Remove from the pan and drain on a paper towel. Reheat the oil and sauté the fennel bulb for about 5 minutes or until tender. Drain it on the same paper towel. Spread the onion and fennel over the pastry in the dish. Scatter the fennel seeds and leaves on top. Beat the eggs with the cream, season with salt and pepper and pour over the filling. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve hot or cold. Serves 6.
Fennel-Stuffed Trout
This is a great recipe for those fresh-caught trout from that fishing trip. You can even make the stuffing ahead of time and cook the trout at a campfire.
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
1 cup finely chopped mushrooms
juice and rind of 1 lemon
1 cup chopped fennel leaf
salt and pepper, to taste
4 8-ounce trout, gutted and cleaned
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Melt the butter and sauté the onion until soft but not browned. Combine the breadcrumbs, mushrooms, lemon rind, lemon juice, fennel and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the cooked onion and mix together. Divide the stuffing between the trout and spoon it into the stomach cavities of each one. Put a knob of butter on top of each fish, then wrap in a square of greased aluminum foil. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the fish from the oven, open the foil and broil or barbecue for 5 minutes on each side. Serve hot. Serves 4.
No comments:
Post a Comment