Fennel, or Florentine dill, is an aromatic plant of the umbrella family with bright green, dill-like, cirrus leaves and a pale green bulb. It has a soft, delicate taste and a pleasant aniseed aroma. Fennel is eaten raw, baked, boiled and fried, preparing a wide variety of dishes with it.
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The clean and fresh taste of raw fennel goes well with citrus fruits. To make sure of this once again, prepare a simple but effective salad, which can be both an appetizer and a side dish for oily fish or poultry. You will need:
- 4 fennel bulbs;
- 8 sweet oranges;
- 5 tbsp. l olive oil;
- ½ lemon;
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley;
- 100 g of pitted black olives;
- finely ground salt;
- freshly ground black pepper.
For cooking you need small, strong fennel bulbs, with soft green leaves and fresh, fragrant herbs. They should not have spots, mold, when pressed, the vegetable should creak slightly.
Whisk in a small bowl with a whisk the juice of half a lemon with olive oil, season with parsley, salt and pepper. Wash the oranges, with a fruit knife, peel them and cut the core together with the seeds. Cut peeled fruit into circles. Cut the fennel bulb in half and chop. Dismantle fennel into strips, mix with olives, oranges and fill with previously prepared dressing. Let stand for 5-7 minutes and serve.
In Florence, fennel is baked with cheese and bread crumbs, getting a flavorful side dish so characteristic of Mediterranean cuisine. You will need:
- 4 fennel bulbs;
- 4 tbsp breadcrumbs;
- 4 tbsp grated parmesan;
- 25 g of butter.
Heat the oven to 180 ° C. Cut each fennel bulb in half lengthwise. Having previously cut the greens from it. Put the vegetable in a pot of boiling water for 7-10 minutes. When the fennel can be pierced with a knife, drain the water and dry the bulbs slightly.
Grease a baking dish with butter. Put fennel with the cut down. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs mixed with Parmesan. Put a piece of butter on top. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the crumbs are gilded.
Fluffy fennel greens can be used to flavor salads, soups and side dishes, in which a sweet note of anise will be appropriate.
Pickled fennel has a piquant taste and stunning aroma. To make such a treat, take:
- 1 kg of fennel bulbs;
- 1 tbsp. l coarse salt;
- 800 ml of table vinegar;
- 1 ½ tbsp. grains of white, red and black pepper;
- 100 g of granulated sugar;
- zest with 1 lemon;
- 1 tsp fennel seed;
- 25 ml of olive oil.
Pour 1 liter of water into the pan and bring to a boil. Dissolve the salt in boiling water. With fennel cut the greens, remove the top leaves, trim the tops. Cut the onions lengthwise into slices 2-3 mm wide. Pour boiling water over the slices of the vegetable and drop it immediately in ice water. Put pepper, lemon zest, granulated sugar and vinegar into the pan. While stirring, bring to a boil.
Arrange the fennel in sterile jars and fill with marinade, pour a little olive oil on top. Close the vessels with sealed lids, refrigerate and store the pickled vegetable in the refrigerator. It will be edible throughout the year.