What do I do with fennel?

Fennel

Fennel

What it is: A whitish-green edible bulb that hosts long stalks topped with fluffy green tips. The bulb has the crunch of an apple, the layers of an onion and the taste of licorice. The stalks and tips don’t have much flavor and are best used as a garnish.

Season: Fennel is available year-round, but can be grown in Kansas and harvested once the bulb is about 5 centimeters across. If you want to grow your own, look for Florence Fennel, as its cousin, Bronze Fennel, is more of a decorative plant.

Nutrition: Very low in calories, one whole fennel bulb has 73 calories, no fat, 7 grams of fiber, 3 grams of protein, and provides several nutrients, including vitamin C (47 percent of your daily value), calcium (11 percent) and iron (9 percent), according to Nutritiondata.com.

How to store: Wrap fennel in plastic and put it in the fridge for up to three days, says Aliza Green in her “Field Guide to Produce.”

If Dr. Seuss had created a vegetable instead of Truffula Trees in his kiddie lit masterpiece “The Lorax,” it surely would look a bit like summer’s coolest vegetable since the cucumber: fennel.

Never heard of it? Head to the grocery store and look for the vegetable with characteristics drawn straight from story time: feathery tips, bony stalks and bulbous bottom.

Yes, it does look a bit like a green, hairy Sneech, but fennel has a much more storied past than could ever fit in the confines of a children’s book.

The funny-looking vegetable has been a major player in certain European culinary traditions since the days of ancient Greece, where it was present in myths and stories involving the passing of knowledge, the run of pioneering marathoner/hero Pheidippides and the god of wine, Dionysus.

Since then, fennel has become a key ingredient in Mediterranean culinary traditions, especially in Italy and France. It provides a licorice-like flavor to those countries’ dishes, and when raw, a crunch and watery texture reminiscent of celery.

Want to test out this mop-topped taste-maker? You’ve got two courses of action: buy it or grow it.

You can pick up fennel year-round at almost any grocery store – just look for its tell-tale feathery fronds. Greg Stone, produce manager at Hy-Vee, says you want the leaves to be green and healthy and for the bulb to be firm and crisp.

“You just want to make sure it’s not dehydrated,” Stone says. “It shouldn’t be limp. The leaves shouldn’t be brown.”

Want to grow your own? Florence fennel, the type you’ll find in the produce section, is simple enough to grow in Kansas, says Donna Gardner, greenhouse manager and grower at Sunrise Garden Center.

“The fennel itself grows underground, the part that you use. It’s fairly easy, I mean, you couldn’t grow it in clay, you’d have to have something pretty loose, like with any sort of underground food, like beets or carrots,” Gardner says. “If you planted them now, it would probably be (ready) somewhere around August.”

RECIPES

A Fennel, Carrot and Cranberry Salad. The bulb of fennel is edible, while the stalks and tips could be used as a garnish.

Fennel, Carrot and Cranberry Salad

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 head fennel cored and grated or cut into fine julienne

2 organic carrots peeled and grated or cut into fine julienne

1/4 cup dried cranberries, dried cherries or dried raisins

Salt (coarse grained) and cracked black pepper

In a small bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, honey and olive oil. Place the fennel, carrots and cranberries in a medium bowl and toss with half the dressing. Let stand refrigerated for 4 hours. The fennel will throw a lot of water, so just before serving, drain off and discard all the liquid. Pour second half of dressing over salad. Season to taste. Serve immediately.

Fennel Salad Greens with Goddess Dressing

10 ounces green peas

1/2 cup soy milk

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 cloves organic garlic

2 sprigs mint (fresh)

6 leaves basil (fresh) chopped

Salt and pepper (white) to taste

1 fennel bulb sliced

1 medium organic cucumbers peeled seeded and sliced

4 scallions white tender green parts and chopped

2 cups organic carrots shredded

1 pound mixed salad greens washed and dried

In a food processor or blender, puree the peas, soy milk, lemon juice, garlic, mint, basil, salt and white pepper. Chill.

Combine the fennel, cucumber, scallions, carrots and greens in a serving bowl. Pour dressing over and toss lightly.

Serve immediately.

Braised Fennel with Shallots and Cipollini Onions

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

12 ounces fennel washed trimmed and sliced thin

2 tablespoons shallots peeled and sliced thin

8 ounces cipollini onions peeled and sliced thin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon oregano chopped fine

1 teaspoon thyme chopped fine

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette

In a saucepan, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the shallots, onions, fennel, and cook for about 10 minutes.

Add the salt, pepper, fresh herbs, water and vinegar; reduce the heat to low and cover pan. Simmer for 45 minutes or until vegetables are very tender.

Caramelized Fennel Gratin

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced

2 large fennel bulbs, trimmed, sliced

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

20 Ritz crackers, finely crushed (about 2/3 cup)

1-1/2 tablespoons butter, melted

Heat oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add onions; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add fennel; cover. Cook 5 minutes, Uncover; stir. Cook 20 to 22 minutes or until vegetables are tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix mayo and mustard in medium bowl; stir in cheese. Remove skillet from heat; stir in mayo mixture. Spoon into 9-inch pie plate. Mix cracker crumbs and butter; sprinkle over vegetable mixture.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until heated through and top is golden brown.

Cold Hunan Noodles with Sesame and Greens

3 stalks organic celery

6 stalks bok choy

5 red onions firm

1 small fennel

12 ounces thin noodles, egg or buckwheat

1 cup sesame seeds

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoon peanut oil

3 cloves organic garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 teaspoon ginger root, (fresh) minced

1/4 cup rice vinegar

2 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 dash fresh ground black pepper

Slice the celery on the diagonal into thin strips. Remove the leaves from the bok choy and set aside. Cut the bok choy stems into pieces slightly larger than the celery strips, and combine with the celery. Slice the bok choy leaves into strips and place in a separate bowl. Cut the scallion bottoms in half lengthwise, and then at 1-1/2 inch intervals all the way through the tops. Slice the fennel into thin strips. Combine the stems and fennel together until almost tender. Add the leaves and scallions and steam for several more minutes until everything is tender and bright green. Rinse immediately in very cold water and set aside in a colander to drain.

Cook the noodles in boiling water until just tender. (Be careful not to overcook.) Drain and rinse thoroughly in cold water, separating the noodles gently with your hands as you rinse them so they don’t clump together. Drain thoroughly after rinsing. Transfer the noodles to a large bowl. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and drizzle with the oils. Mix well to be sure all the oil gets well distributed.

Add the remaining ingredients, taking special care to sprinkle the ground spices for even distribution. Mix gently but well. Cover tightly and chill. May be served cold or at room temperature.