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Fennel
Fennel is truly a vegetable and should not be confused with the herb, sweet anise. Even though they
share a similar mild sweet licorice flavor, fennel comes from an entirely different plant. Fennel has a
rounded creamy white bulb, short green stalks and feathery green leaves. Its appearance resembles an
extra plump bunch of celery, and it has a unique licorice taste that becomes milder when cooked. It can
also be eaten raw and is used as a bad breath neutralizer.
Fennel is very popular in Europe and until recently was found primarily in Italian and specialty markets
in the United States. It is now found in mainstream supermarkets, however, it is frequently sold
incorrectly as sweet anise. Fennel is grown primarily in Italy, France, Greece, and the United States.
In the United States, fennel is grown almost exclusively in California.
Storage & Selection
Fennel can vary significantly in size anywhere from ½ pound to 2 pounds. In my opinion size is very
important, as smaller fennel bulbs are more tender and less fibrous than larger bulbs. The bulb has
virtually all of the usable meat, and should be a firm, clean creamy white that doesn't show any sign of
brown spots, yellowing, splitting, or withering, a sign the fennel is old. Fennel stalks should be
straight and the leaves a feathery bright green. Avoid fennel if there are flowers on the stalks because
this is a sign that the fennel is over mature. Store fennel in a plastic bag, in the high-humidity
crisper section of the refrigerator for no more than three to four days. Fennel loses its flavor
quickly so it's best to use it as soon as possible.
Preparation
Most fennel bulbs are sold with the stalk still attached, so they will need to be removed before
preparation. After removing the stalks, slice off the top and bottom of the fennel bulb. The outermost
layer of the bulb should also be removed if the bulb is large or if its skin is bruised or split. Next,
slice the trimmed bulb in half lengthwise, and cut the halves into wedges for braising, or thin
crescents for salads. The halves can also be diced as you would an onion or celery stalk.
Don't throw away the stalks or leaves. Chefs use the stalks in soups and stews to add flavor and use the
feathery leaves as an herb, similar to parsley. The leaves are particularly good with fish baked in
parchment. You can also wet the fronds and stalks and throw them on the grill in lieu of wood chips.
In addition to fish, they add excellent flavor to poultry, pork, and lamb.
Tony's Tip
Put fennel on your crudite platter instead of celery or serve it with Sicilian oil-cured olives in a
relish dish.
Tony's Favorite Recipe
Blood Orange and Fennel Salad
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Varieties
Florence fennel is for all practical purposes the
only variety of fennel. This squat bulb has a subtle licorice flavor that diminishes with cooking.
Taller, spindly wild or herb fennel has a much more pronounced fennel flavor and produces seeds used
for seasoning.
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