Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Become Familiar with Fennel this Fall
Fennel is one of the most underused vegetables in the fall, mostly since many people are only familiar with the form of the fennel seeds commonly found in spice blends. Most people are quite surprised when they actually first taste fresh fennel, its’ licorice like flavor takes some getting used to.
Fennel is a vegetable, unique as a result of its’ crunchy and slightly anise flavor when raw and sweet and tender when roasted. It is a very versatile vegetable and contains potassium, magnesium, and other nutrients that have an antioxidant effect. Fennel is also know to support digestion and the prevention skin damage.
Fennel can be great when mixed with citrus, used in fall salads, or in hearty pasta or grain dishes. Hope you will pick up some fresh fennel and enjoy making and tasting some of these recipes.
Basic Roasted Fennel
2 pounds fennel bulbs
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Slice off the stalks of the fennel bulbs and trim the root ends. Make sure to keep the bottom of the bulb intact, so you can slice into wedges without them falling apart.
Slice each fennel bulb in half lengthwise, then slice, lengthwise, into ½ inch pieces.
Place the fennel in a large bowl. Gently toss in olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder until evenly coated.
Transfer to a sheet pan and spread in a single layer, without pieces touching.
Roast fennel in the oven for 30 – 35 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the fennel is fork tender and caramelized.
Serves 4, each serving contains; Calories 162, Fat 10g., Protein 3g., total Carbohydrates 17g., Fiber 7g.
Eastern Oyster Stew with a Fennel Twist
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium onions, finely diced
½ medium head fennel, finely diced
1 large stalk celery, finely diced
1 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 dried bay leaf
1 quart whole milk
2 dozen oysters, shucked, liquor reserved
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Minced parsley, chives, and/or fennel fronds for garnish
In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions, fennel, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the bay leaf.
Add milk and bring to a simmer. Add oysters and their liquor and return to a simmer, adjust heat as necessary to prevent boiling. Simmer until the oysters are just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls, garnish with herbs, and serve.
Chicken and Pasta Casserole with Fennel Bulbs
12 ounces whole wheat pasta, your choice
16 mini sweet peppers
1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into ¾ inch pieces
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt, divided
½ teaspoon ground pepper
2 medium fennel bulbs, chopped, plus ¼ cup chopped fronds
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup cream cheese, softened
½ cup fresh chives, divided
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ cup panko breadcrumbs, whole wheat
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Set aside.
Meanwhile, position a rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler to high. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Coat the foil with cooking spray.
Place peppers on one side of the prepared baking sheet. Toss chicken, 1 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Place the chicken in an even layer on the other half of the baking sheet. Broil, turning once, until the peppers start to char on both sides and the chicken is no longer pink in the middle, 4 to 8 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add fennel and onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add flour and stir to coat. Add broth and wine and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in softened cream cheese, 1/4 cup chives, lemon juice, the fennel fronds and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Transfer to the bowl with the pasta.
Trim and quarter the peppers. Add the peppers and chicken to the pasta; stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to a 9-by-13-inch pan (or similar-size 3-quart baking dish). Combine panko with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the casserole.
Bake the casserole until hot, about 30 minutes. Serve topped with the remaining 1/4 cup chives. Serves 8.
Grapefruit and Goat Cheese Fennel Salad
(Modified from a Delish Recipe)
½ medium red onion
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 medium bulbs fennel, halved and thinly sliced, reserving some fronds
1 medium grapefruit, cut into segments or peeled and cut into rounds
1/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
In a large bowl, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, shallot, and za’atar or oregano, and season with salt and pepper.
Add fennel to bowl and toss to coat with dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then top with grapefruit, olives, goat cheese, and pine nuts. Garnish with fennel fronds and serve.
Chicken and Fennel Slaw
½ red cabbage, cut into wedges
2 bulbs fennel, shaved
1 pear, finely sliced
1 carrot, grated
½ cup toasted mixed nuts, roughly chopped
¼ cup fresh oregano, chopped
18 ounces chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
Spray barbecue plate or grill pan with oil and heat to high. Char cabbage wedges for 2 minutes either side to give a nice smokey flavor.
In a large bowl, add fennel, pear, carrot, mixed nuts, and oregano. Add cooked chicken and top with squeezed lemon juice. Add sesame and olive oil and toss gently. Add cabbage wedges and toss again.
Divide between 4 serving bowls and serve.
Serves 4, each serving contains; Calories 431, Protein 35g., Carbohydrates 25g., Fat 19g., Fiber 13g.
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