Fennel is like that actor in a movie whom you don’t notice at first, but then, as you get deeper into the film, you discover that he or she is the real scene stealer. There are so many things that fennel goes with and so many things a cook can do with it. Braise it and pair it with fish or chicken. Char it on the grill. Add it to risotto. Cook it in any stock and it will pick up flavors like a sponge. Bouillabaisse isn’t really bouillabaisse without it. When you slow cook, as I call for here, you can then use the olive oil in a salad dressing or a pasta sauce.
Ingredients
How to Make It
- In a large pan, combine the olive oil, wine, water, garlic, shallots, thyme, bay leaf, and fennel. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce the heat and simmer until the fennel is soft and tender, about 30 to 45 minutes. Let cool in its liquid. Remove the thyme and bay leaf. Serve whole or cut into small wedges.
- Alternately, after slow cooking, caramelize the fennel by removing the liquid in the pan and browning the fennel on medium heat for 10 minutes on each side.