fennel.....help!

[Headfry]

Please has any one any fennel dishes, mine is ready........ALL of it
Can I freeze it for winter stews?
Thanks folks

[Seahorse]

My book of home freezing says you can freeze fennel if trimmed into 1cm slices and blanched in boiling water for 3 mins. Hope that helps!

Claire

[Headfry]

Thanks Claire, I will give it a go!

[Jardiniere]

All of my fennel went to seed because no-one wanted to eat it but me so i couldnt give it away and i "forgot" to freeze it - has anyone ever saved the seeds and dried them for use as a herb..or is that a different plant altogether?

[roitelet]

All of my fennel went to seed because no-one wanted to eat it but me so i couldnt give it away and i "forgot" to freeze it - has anyone ever saved the seeds and dried them for use as a herb..or is that a different plant altogether?

Different animal Jardiniere, the eating sort is Florence Fennel and the other type is found in the Aromatics (Herb) section of the Garden Centres a perennial and grows to about 2m high.

[wellie]

I'm sorry, I cannot, at this late hour, delve into my cookbooks, and I seriously would, but I am suitably whacked. If you want to remind me over the weekend via a PM, I would gladly pass on the delicious recipes I have for Florence Fennel that I use and put in my freezer, to good effect, on the Season to Taste section of the forum?

[Headfry]

Thanks Wellie, sadly I don't seem to have many recipes in my books!

[Rowan]

Headfry - assuming you mean Florence fennel - just take off the tough leaves, and eat it raw. I didn't think I'd like it - if I want something that tastes of aniseed, I'll buy aniseed balls, I thought - but I love it! Very refreshing with fatty food.

[Headfry]

Thanks Rowan....ooooh aniseed balls, love 'em

[wellie]

OK, I found this soup recipe for you this afternoon Headfry:

LEEK & FENNEL SOUP
serves 4-5
Prep Time: 10 mins + 20 mins cooking
Freezing recommended.

15ml oil
25g butter
900g leeks, white only, sliced
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and sliced, leaves reserved to garnish
1 garlic clove, crushed
30ml plain flour
850ml veg or chicken stock
S & P

1. Heat the oil and bugger (sorry, I did that on purpose this time. See archives for when I genuinely did the typo. You had to be there. It WAS funny....)
in a large saucepan, add the leeks, fennel and garlic and saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not allow to brown.
2. Add the flour and stir well. Pour in the stock and make sure the flour is well blended. Then bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Leave to cool for a shorr time. Puree until smooth.
4. Return to the pan and season to taste.
Reheat gently. OR cool, stick in the fridge, then freeze when cold.

Headfry, I shall be doing LOADS of this for my freezer, so I hope it's good!
Kindests,

[wellie]

From Catherine Mason's Vegetable Heaven Book

Fennel Tart with Dolcelatte & verjuice

(Verjuice evidently is the unfermented juice of wine grapes, commonly used in medieval cooking) Use half & half sweet white grape juice and fresh lemon juice, or just lemon juice to make this?

500g fennel bulbs, crisp and white
15g bugger (?!)
1 tblsp olive oil
1 tsp. fennel seeds
100ml verjuice (see above)
1 ready bought pastry case (because life is too short?!)
S & P
150-200g dolcelatte cheese (mmm...)

Oven temp: Gas 7, 220c, 425f, and adjust for fan ovens

1. Trim the fennel and cut it into segments lengthwise. Warm the bugger and olive oil in a heavy frying pan, and fry the fennel until starting to brown. Add the fennel seeds and verjuice, cover the pan and simmer for 15-20 mins till fennel tender. Take off lid, and if much liquid remains, allow it to cook off. Remove pan and set aside.

2. Get the pastry case out of it wrapping (!)

3. Arrange the cooked fennel over the base and season with S & P. Dot generous cubes of cheese over the fennel and put the tart in the oven for 10 mins until the cheese has melted 'invitingly' and the top is golden and bubbling.

Now, Headfry.... THAT has just 'blown me away' typing that out for you, and I have approximately twelve bulbs ready to 'kiss a bit of dolch' and I'm definitely going to be making that recipe too! But I'd make some Hazelnut pastry and make the tart myself for a dead quality shot meal as Trousers' Lunch with salad on a weekend if I had the time....

Want any more recipes yet?!

[Lance]

I cant stand fennel but I grow it as my wife eats it. She chops then roasts it with olive oil. 5 minute before it is ready she sprinkles on fresh parmasan and pops it back in the oven to brown off.
cheers
Lance

[Headfry]

Went to harvest last night, on the way to bolting, tasted some of the 'stalks' they seemed fine, sweet and tender.Sliced, blanched and froze them.....was this a bad thing to do?

Wellie.........a huge thank you THANK YOU!

I will give the soup a go first!


Headfry
xx