Cooking fennel: which parts of the vegetable to use?
It is possible to cook all the fennel, since this vegetable is eaten whole.
The base and stems can be used to flavor a broth.
For the leaves, you can remove those that are the most damaged.
Some recipes call for cutting the leaves into strips, but for roasted fennel, cook it as is, whole or cut in half.
Good to know: the fennel will keep for a week in the vegetable drawer of the fridge, preferably wrapped in a paper bag or in a sheet of paper towel, this will prevent it from flavoring the other vegetables.
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It can also be frozen.
For this, it is best to blanch it in boiling water five minutes after having cut it into strips.
The leaves of fennel are rather tender, while the stems are tough.
The latter are mainly used to flavor dishes, but they become tender during cooking.
Fennel can be eaten raw as well as cooked.
You can also eat fennel seeds.
When they are dried, they are used in herbal tea, to help digestion or increase the milk production of breastfeeding women.
The best way to cook fennel
You should know that fennel does not really like boiling, even if that is how it is the least caloric.
This method of cooking softens it.
We therefore prefer to cook the fennel with steam.
If you want to prepare a comforting broth, you can completely boil the stems of fennel or the leaves cut into strips, this will flavor the water.
But to fully enjoy the flavors of fennel, the ideal is to braise it.
You can cut the bulb into several pieces, knowing that the larger the pieces, the longer the cooking will take.
Then, the pieces are browned in fat over high heat, before being left to cook for 30 minutes to 1 hour over low heat.
You can add white wine, lemon juice, broth, sugar or honey to reduce its bitterness.
It will come out tender and tender.
For quick cooking, fennel can be sautéed in a wok or skillet.
It is a cooking method that allows you to take full advantage of its crunchy side.
Cut into strips, about fifteen minutes are enough to soften it just enough.
You can roast some spices before adding it to the pan.
Otherwise, a little balsamic vinegar, sugar or honey will caramelize it slightly.
Fennel can also be cooked in a gratin or tagine.
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What foods and spices go well with fennel?
Fennel is often associated with fish and seafood. Sea bass, sea bream or John Dory go wonderfully with braised or pan-fried fennel.
Poultry and white meat as well.
In terms of spices and aromatic herbs, fennel goes well with anise, garlic, turmeric, fenugreek, chervil, lavender, nutmeg, oregano, cumin, rosemary, parsley, thyme , sage and ginger.
For roasted fennel, you can coat the fennel with a marinade of olive oil, herbs de Provence and a little chilli or paprika.
We know it less, but fennel can also slip into desserts.
It will give all its originality to a tarte tatin with apples or pears.
Fennel can also be cooked by candiing it in cardamom and ginger syrup.
Its aniseed flavor also works wonders when slipped into a yogurt cake, in the form of compote.
