Fennel & How to Use It
All About Fennel & How to Cook With It
On the whole, the foods that restaurants deliver to the consumer use basically the same ingredients that a home cook would use. There is, however, a short list of ingredients that are commonly used in commercial kitchens that are underused by home cooks.
If you ask Anthony Bourdain, one of those ingredients is shallots. And if you ask me, another of those ingredients is fennel. Fennel is one of the most underutilized vegetables I can think of, and it also happens to be one of my favorites. You’ll find it in many of my recipes including :
Chicken Thighs with Sausage & Braised Fennel
Braised Pork Chops with Fennel
Shrimp with Fennel, Tomato & Pernod Sauce
What is Fennel?
Fennel is a plant whose leaves look very much like dill—thin, waving frondy filaments of bright green. Not only are the leaves edible, but so are the seeds, bulbs and even the pollen. If you have never tried fennel, let me see if I can describe the flavor to you.
Fennel bulb, which looks kind of like a cross between an onion and the base of a bunch of celery, has a sweet, perfumy, anise-like flavor. Rather than making food taste like licorice, though, fennel imparts a light, bright spring-like quality to foods. Plus, fennel is good for you. It contains Vitamins A and C, as well as potassium and calcium.
How Can Fennel Be Used at Home
When raw, the texture of fennel is cold and crisp. Take advantage of the refreshing crispness by thinly slicing the bulb into salads or slaws. When caramelized, fennel tastes almost like licorice candy, and it acts as a wonderful flavor base as part of a mire poix, lending dishes an “I can’t quite figure out what that flavor is, but man is it good!” quality. Fennel is also very tasty on its own, sautéed or even grilled.
Fennel leaves can be chopped up and used to flavor any number of dishes, either hot or cold, much like you would use any other culinary herb. Use it in dishes that also feature citrus, or in any dish that reminds you of spring. Of course, fennel fronds also make a beautiful, feathery garnish for dishes containing fennel.
Fennel seeds are one of the primary spices in Italian sausage, and they are also used frequently in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine.
Fennel pollen is one of those ingredients that is almost exclusively used in fine dining kitchens. (I’m not even sure where you would find it.) It has a very concentrated, musky-anise aroma and flavor. A little goes a long way, but if you are a fan of fennel and can get your hands on some, mix some into a cream sauce or use it as part of a dry spice rub.
I really hope I am conveying how wonderful fennel is as an ingredient. If you already love it, here are some ideas for new ways to enjoy it. If you’ve not tried it yet, please give it a try. If you do not like licorice, you might not want fennel to play a starring role on your dinner plate, but do consider using it to build background flavor in a stew or a braise. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Fennel and Jicama Slaw with Citrus Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 medium fennel bulb, sliced very thin (use a mandoline, if you have one)
- 1 small jicama, julienned
- ¼ cup chopped basil
- 2 tablespoons fennel frond
- 1 tablespoon chopped mint
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1½ teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Several drops of your favorite hot sauce, to taste
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Combine the jicama, fennel, basil, fennel frond and mint in a bowl.
In another bowl, whisk together the citrus juices, honey, mustard, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Continue whisking and stream in the oil. Taste and adjust seasonings. Toss the dressing with the slaw.
Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
Braised Fennel
Ingredients:
- 2 medium fennel bulbs
- 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped fennel fronds
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- ½ cup homemade or low sodium chicken stock
How to Prepare at Home
Trim fennel bulbs from stalks, reserving some fronds to chop for garnish. Cut bulbs lengthwise into 1/3-1/2” slices. Do not trim root end, so the slices stay together.
Heat a 10-12” sauté pan until hot. Add the oil and wait until the oil shimmers before adding the fennel.
Season with some salt and pepper and sear fennel to caramelize, turning once. The fennel should be a rich golden brown.
Add the wine and scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze.
When the wine has reduced to a syrup, add the chicken stock and put the lid on the pan.
Braise over very low heat for about ten to fifteen minutes, or until the fennel is very tender.
Before serving, garnish with chopped fennel fronds.
Five Spice Powder
Fennel seed, and the similarly-flavored star anise both play a prominent role in Chinese Five Spice Powder. Add five spice to beef or poultry rub for an Asian flavor.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons black pepper corns
- 3 star anise pods
- 2 teaspoons fennel seed
- 6 whole cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks, approximately 3” long
How to Prepare at Home
Toast all spices in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant. Spread spices out onto foil or parchment to cool. Don’t leave them in the pan, because they will continue to cook and burn.
Once cool, grind spices in a spice grinder or bladed coffee grinder until it is as fine as you can get it.
Store covered in a cool, dark cabinet. Exposure to light will decrease the shelf life.
Fennel Pollen Cream Sauce for Pasta
If you cannot find fennel pollen, substitute ground fennel seed.
Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons butter
- 2 medium shallots, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1½ teaspoons fennel pollen
- Salt and white pepper, to taste
- 2 cups half and half
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Heat a wide sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add the fat and wait until the butter melts before adding the minced shallots and garlic. Season with a heavy pinch of salt and white pepper. Stir in the fennel pollen.
Sweat shallot and garlic until softened and translucent but not browned.
Whisk in the half and half and bring to a simmer. Do not let come to a full rolling boil, but reduce by ¼.
Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan, a bit at a time until it is all melted. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Cook any short pasta (ziti, rigatoni, elbows, shells, etc) or filled pasta (tortellini, ravioli, etc) until done to your liking. Pour hot pasta into the sauce and toss to coat.
Serve with some more grated Parmesan and maybe a sprinkling of chopped fennel frond.
How Are You Using Fennel?
I’m always interested in learning how home cooks use ingredients so let me know by posting a comment below. Let me and my readers know your favorite ways of using fennel in your recipes. Thanks - RG
on April 17th, 2010 at 8:11 pm
I roasted it first, then cooled and chopped it in my potato salad..it was a big hit! I love it!
Great technique Andrea, thanks for sharing. - RG
on April 27th, 2010 at 8:56 pm
I use a recipe I found on Rouxbe. Sauteed fennel with Parmesan and a little lemon juice….delicious! Thanks for this wonderful information.
Hi Maxine, You are welcome and I too am a big fan of Rouxbe.com. Thanks for mentioning it. - RG
on June 5th, 2010 at 11:01 pm
I have used fennel pollen in many dishes. The flavor is robust and the smell delightful. I have yet to taste the rest of the plant sadly. However I am working at a company that collects and distributes the pollen as a cooking spice. That’s how I started cooking with it.
Hi Mike, I hope you can share some of the ways you have been using fennel pollen in your cooking. And please try the rest of the plant some time. I think you will enjoy it. - RG
on June 17th, 2010 at 9:59 am
hi I am growing the fennel. how will I know when it’s ready to pick?
Hi Linne, you can harvest the bulbous stalk when they are about 3 inches in diameter. You don’t pick them like you do carrots but cut the whole stalk just below the point where the individual stalks join. This usually takes 13 to 14 weeks. - RG
on July 19th, 2010 at 2:56 pm
I was challenged by two people that are opening an Italian venture, to make them a relish to serve with meat & cheese. I used fennel, as my main ingredient, along with others.
Sounds good, care to share with us? - RG
on August 1st, 2010 at 11:04 pm
I don’t use shallots or fennel because they are too expensive for what they are. Shallots are over $3 per pound for what a small mild onion.
The same thing with fennel. By the time you get down to just the bulb which for the most part is what you use, you pay $5-6 per pound. I can buy steak on sale for that.
Someday, I will see fennel on sale and will pick some up and experiment but I am in no hurry.
Hi Hank, I think if you look around you should be able to find it at a lower cost. Try your local farmers market if you have one near you. Also, although most recipes call for using just the bulb, the rest of the fennel can be used in stews, stocks and braises. - RG
on September 14th, 2010 at 4:25 pm
I use ground fennel as the main seasoning in crawfish risotto. It’s exceptional!
Hi Susan, thanks for sharing. - RG
on October 11th, 2010 at 5:47 pm
Broil a red pepper, cut into slim strips, add S&P, and balsamic vinegar. Cut fennel bulb lengthwise, thinly and roast (or grill) until browned. Toss w/ peppers and enjoy! *Taken from a side dish I had @ the Beacon restaurant in NYC. Chef- Waldy Malouf
Sounds good - RG
on October 16th, 2010 at 11:17 pm
I discovered fennel one year when I tried the Joy of Cooking Bouillabaisse Recipe for Christmas Eve at a friends house. It was wonderful. Bought too much and used the remainder in vegetable soup a few days later. Being the frugal cook that I am threw in the fronds after chopping them and wished I had discovered how wonderful they were when making the Bouillabaisse! My next venture was to use fennel in southern cornbread stuffing rather than celery and the fronds instead of sage. Outstanding! Winter is on its way here in Alaska and will be making my vegetable soup tomorrow with fennel!
Hi Betty, thanks so much for sharing your comments. Your vegetable soup sounds delicious and I will have to make some myself this week. - RG
on October 24th, 2010 at 7:53 am
I have been given a recipe for fennel that is simple to make, divine to taste and very refreshing.
Thinly slice one fennel bulb, and cut one orange in to cubes then toss together with a splash of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. A lovely Spring salad.
Hi Mel, sounds delicious. Thanks for sharing. - RG
on October 25th, 2010 at 9:32 am
I recently used fennel for the first time in a tomato-based sauce that I served with veal/pork meatballs. I’ll admit that I’m not fond of the smell of raw fennel, but something wonderful happens to it when you start cooking it. The sauce is AMAZING. Better than the typical meat sauce I make.
Hi Susan, thanks for sharing this experience. I did something similar with my 10 year old daughter. I had her take a small bite of raw onion and you can imagine her reaction and then we caramelized some onion and she thought they tasted like candy. - RG
on November 27th, 2010 at 12:18 am
For Thanksgiving and several times throughout the year I make Cranberry & Anise (Fennel) Compote. I cook my berries from scratch with thinly chopped fennel and add chopped walnut, chopped mandarin orange, cinnamon, ginger and other spices. I love it.
Sounds delicious! - RG
on June 19th, 2011 at 6:10 pm
I have a recipe that calls for 2 large fennel bulbs. Cannot find it anywhere! I bought fennel seeds. How do I substitute?
Sorry to say you don’t Pat. The seeds may give it a little fennel flavor but you won’t get the texture and flavor from the seeds as you might the actual bulb. Can’t believe you can’t find fennel bulbs in your local supermarket. Most markets I’ve seen carry it. Good luck. - RG
on July 24th, 2011 at 7:52 pm
I just bought fennel for the first time, today. I’m trying a low carb diet, so, I wanted to try something different, and expand my list of things that I am allowed to enjoy! I’ll be trying it tonight with pork chops- thank you for the recipes and ideas!
on August 6th, 2011 at 7:05 pm
I just heard of fennel. I took a recipe from the TLC (Kitchen Boss) for Stuffed Peppers.The recipe called for fennel. Found it at my local store. Smells great and the peppers were great. Can you use the stalks of the plant and how?
Hi Kenneth, sure you can use the stalks especially for vegetable stock. You can also remove the fibrous exterior, blanch them and use them in salads or stews. - RG
on October 25th, 2011 at 8:35 pm
Fennel Tea …fragrant and delicious. Good for your digestion especially when your tummy is upset. I slow boil the whole fennel, except the seeds, strain and enjoy.
on November 11th, 2011 at 1:59 pm
I have a sack of fennell seeds and was wondering what to do with them, as I read, I threw a few into my mouth with a fresh stick of gum. It tastes similar to black jack.
on November 19th, 2011 at 7:24 pm
In the past year I have been trying some new and different produce (for me). The first time I used fennel I roasted it with a little olive oil and some seasoning. I thought it was very good, in fact, I have found that roasting seems to bring out extraordinary flavors in vegetables. Today I made a slaw with fennel, dried apricots, and sliced snow peas. I tasted it right after making it and I thought it tasted very fresh.
My question is; I only used the bulb and I was wondering if I could freeze the stalks and fronds to use later. Could you give me any information on this?
Hi Janice, great ideas for using fennel, thanks. You could freeze the stalks and use them for making stock but most recipes I read use the bulb, but I’m sure there are many styles of cooking that use the stalk and fronds. I’ll look for some good ideas on how to use them and invite others to join in on the conversation. - RG
on January 11th, 2012 at 8:12 pm
Here’s how I get my fennel fix: Sopressata salami, fennel seeds and Kraft grated Parmesan. Don’t use “real” parm, it won’t work. Lay out a few slices of salami on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle generously with fennel seeds. Sprinkle generously with Parmesan. Bake a 450 for about 5 minutes, watching carefully. I like to roll them up a little to keep my fingers clean. Intense fennel taste and these crisp up quite a bit as they cool.
Sound good Gina. I am a huge fan of Sopressata. Why won’t real grated Parmesan work? - RG
on February 2nd, 2012 at 1:03 pm
I’m not sure. I used Parmesan from a block and grated it myself. It didn’t crisp up or brown in the oven and the mouth feel was a bit slimy. The pre-grated kind was more “crumby”, crispy and delicious.
That’s interesting Gina, I will have to experiment with the two. - RG