My farm share has had fennel for the past few weeks, and let me tell you that shit SLAPS. Especially if you’re one of those people who likes licorice-adjacent flavors. If you’re unsure what to use fennel for, the answer… is everything.
You may have seen her in the grocery store: she’s a fat white bulb with beautiful, feathery fronds that cascade all over the place. She’s quite popular in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking, especially the fruit/seeds. She is one of the main components of a green spirit you may have heard of — does absinthe ring a bell?
My first experience with fennel was as a teeny tiny baby with great big tummy troubles. My mom would make me tea out of fennel seeds to help with digestion and gas.
The fronds have a beautiful anise/licorice flavor. I used them to make infused salt and simple syrup, which I then used to make a citrus, turmeric, and fennel bundt cake! (It was a hit at the farm share potluck – especially with the kid who cut a piece the size of her head and ate it while hiding under the table like a feral beast. Now that’s an icon.
ANYWAY… fennel stems have a hint of anise, but with more of a celery taste and texture. I used them to make candied bits and salad garnish. The texture of the candied fennel was a bit fibrous (real talk – it was like chewing on dried celery), but when finely chopped and thrown into the cake, all you noticed were sweet little dots of flavor.
The bulbs: very mild anise flavor, more herbaceous and celery-like. Crunchy. Like parnsip’s beautiful and delicate femme girlfriend. I actually roasted them with parsnips and apples and tossed them into a fall salad. Now that was *chef’s kiss*.
Fennel-infused salt will be available on the website this week. Use with citrus and autumnal fruit flavors like orange, persimmon, or apples. Use as a rub on meats like pork and lamb (who doesn’t love a good holiday roast?), or on the rim of anise-flavored cocktails!
I just so happen to be infusing my own wild version of the liqueur found in every Italian grandpa’s booze cabinet, sambuca. Will craft an amazing cocktail and report back! ✌🏽
