Fennel and Asian Pear Salad with Parmesan

Ingredients:

• 1 medium (about 10 ounces) fennel bulb
• 1 Asian pear
• Wedge of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• Olive oil
• Lemon juice
• Crunchy salt (Maldon or fleur de sel if you have it)
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

First, prepare the fennel. Remove the long stalks and fronds, reserving some of the fronds for garnish if you’d like. Trim away any bruises on the fennel bulb’s outermost layer, and then cut it in half from root to stalk, and trim the root end. Working with one-half of the bulb at a time, use a sharp knife or a mandoline to slice the fennel very thinly, 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Set aside.

Then, prepare the Asian pear. Slice it in half and discard the core. With your sharp knife or mandoline, slice it very thinly, as with the fennel. Set aside.

Now, compose your salad. Layer the elements on a large platter, one at a time: a layer of fennel, a drizzle of olive oil, a layer of Asian pear, a drizzle of lemon juice, a sprinkling of salt, ribbons of cheese (shaved with a vegetable peeler or sharp knife). Repeat these layers until you run out of ingredients. (Alternately, you can simply toss everything together in a large bowl. Perhaps not as pretty, but no less delicious!)

Finish the salad with generous splashes of olive oil and lemon, a few more ribbons of cheese, a couple of reserved fennel fronds (optional), salt and pepper.

Recipe found at: http://delightfulcrumb.com/2012/03/the-in-between-fennel-pear-salad/

Moroccan Eden Salad with Apples, Fennel and Arugula

Raz el Hanout and Preserved Lemon Dressing

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons high quality white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon agave syrup or unrefined sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon raz el hanout
• 2 tablespoons tablespoons preserved lemons, rinsed and chopped
• 1/2 cup apple (crisp and sweet variety such as fuji, honeycrisp, or pink lady), peeled and chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh mint
• fresh ground pepper to taste

Fennel, Arugula and Apple Salad

• 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon agave syrup or unrefined sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 2 cups fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 3 cups baby arugula
• 3 tablespoons fresh mint, roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 cup apples (crisp and sweet variety such as fuji, honeycrisp, or pink lady), chopped in 1/4 inch sticks
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup unsalted pistachios, chopped
• 1/4 cup Moroccan oil-cured olives, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
• 3/4 cups chick peas, preferably unsalted, canned or soaked and cooked until soft
• 1/2 cup aged goat cheese or mild goat milk feta, crumbled
• fresh ground pepper and salt to taste

Directions

1. Thinly slice the red onion, from stem to root. Blanch the onion crescents in boiling water for a quick minute, drain, and place into a bowl with vinegar, sugar, and cracked black pepper. Allow to sit and become a quick pickle for half an hour or more while the rest of the salad is assembled.
2. Cut preserved lemon into quarters and rinse off excess salt and brine, and remove any seeds. Assemble dressing by blending together vinegar, sugar, spice, preserved lemon, and apple until smooth. Slowly blend in oil. Pulse in mint at the very end. Add pepper to taste. The dressing should not need any salt because of the salt in the lemon.
3. Slice the fennel bulb paper thin (using a mandoline if available). Mix with arugula, roughly chopped mint, chick peas, chopped pistachios, and olives. NOTE: Because the preserved lemons and oil-cured olives are both salty, it is best to use unsalted pistachios and chickpeas, and mild feta if possible. You can always add salt at the end if needed.
4. Remove seeds from pomegranate by scoring the skin and breaking fruit open. Gently pull out seeds and add 1/2 cup to salad mix.
5. Halve and core the apples, leaving the peel on. Slice the apple from top to bottom into 1/4 inch slices. Turn slices on their side and cut into 1/4 inch sticks. Place cut apple into a bowl and toss with the juice of half a lemon to keep from browning. Add apples to salad.
6. Drain vinegar from pickled onions and add to salad. Mix together, toss with enough dressing to lightly graze everything. Add salt and pepper if necessary. Top with crumbled cheese. Serve with warm pita.
   Recipe found at:  http://food52.com/recipes/8721-moroccan-eden-salad-with-apples-fennel-and-arugula

Crispy Cream-Braised Potatoes and Fennel

Ingredients 

• 3 yukon gold potatoes (about 1.5 pounds) – peeled and cut into irregular 1.5" to 2" chunks
• 2 fennel bulbs (about 1.5 pounds) – trimmed (with tough or bruised outer layers removed), then cut lengthwise into wedges about 1.5” wide (leaving core intact)
• About 2 to 3 cups of half-and-half or cream, or enough to cover the vegetables
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon fennel seed
• Kosher salt + freshly ground black pepper
• 3 or 4 large springs of thyme, leaves removed and finely chopped
• 1 large leafy sprig of rosemary, leaves removed and finely chopped
• heaping ¼ cup finely grated pecorino romano (or parmesan reggiano)
• zest from 1 small orange, finely grated
• olive oil 

Directions 

 

1. In a 3 to 4 quart pan, combine potatoes, fennel wedges, bay leaf, and fennel seed. Add enough half-and-half to fully cover the potatoes and fennel. Season generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Over medium-high heat, bring the half-and-half to a simmer, then lower heat to just maintain the simmer. Cook until the potatoes and fennel are soft and tender, about 20 minutes. Take off the heat. The potatoes and fennel should be fully cooked at this point.
2. While potatoes and fennel are braising, preheat broiler to medium-high. In a small bowl, combine rosemary, thyme, pecorino, and orange zest.
3. Remove potatoes and fennel wedges from the half-and-half with a spider or slotted spoon, and transfer them to a gratin or casserole dish. Some of the half-and-half will cling to the vegetables, which is a good thing. Make sure to generously coat the bottom with olive oil to prevent sticking. Taste the potatoes and fennel for seasoning – if you need more salt or pepper, add them now. Toss with olive oil (about 1 tablespoon), then the herb-cheese-orange zest mixture. Arrange the potatoes and fennel wedges in a single layer to promote even browning.
4. Place the casserole dish under the broiler (about 6 inches away from the source of heat). Broil for about 3 to 5 minutes, or until the potatoes and fennel are caramelized and crispy around the edges. (I typically brown the vegetables more than the ones in the picture above...just leave them under the broiler until they've reached your desired crispness!)

Recipe found at: http://food52.com/recipes/14606-crispy-cream-braised-potatoes-and-fennel

Celery, Apple, and Fennel Slaw

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/ 2tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh tarragon
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4t easpoon sugar
• 3celery stalks, thinly sliced diagonally, plus 1/4 cup loosely packed celery leaves
• 2small fennel bulbs, thinly sliced crosswise, plus 1 tablespoon chopped fennel fronds
• 1firm, crisp apple (such as Pink Lady, Gala, or Granny Smith), julienned
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

• Whisk first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add celery and celery leaves, thinly sliced fennel and chopped fennel fronds, and apple; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2011/07/celery-apple-and-fennel-slaw#ixzz2DSetZKVE

Parsnip and Fennel Soup With Dill

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 leeks (white and light green parts), sliced into half-moons
• 2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1⁄4-inch pieces
• 1 large bulb fennel, cored and cut into 1⁄4-inch pieces
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces
• 5 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 small baguette, split horizontally
• 2 ounces grated Gruyère or Swiss cheese (1⁄2 cup)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leeks, parsnips, fennel, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
2. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add the potatoes and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
4. Transfer half the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Return it to the pot.
5. Meanwhile, heat broiler. Place the bread, cut-side up, on a baking sheet and sprinkle with the cheese. Broil until the cheese melts. Cut into pieces.
6. Sprinkle the soup with the dill and serve with the cheese toast.

Recipe found at: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/parsnip-fennel-soup-dill-00000000044723/index.html

Fennel, Prosciutto and Pomegranate Salad

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• 2 cups very thinly sliced fennel bulb
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 6 cups arugula (about 4 ounces)
• 1 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced mint leaves
• 1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 6 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, torn into strips
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

Toss fennel and 1 tablespoon olive oil in medium bowl. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. (Planning ahead? I did this a day in advance.)

Combine arugula, green onions, mint, vinegar, and 2 tablespoons olive oil in large bowl; toss. Season with salt and pepper.

Divide greens among plates. Top with fennel, then drape with prosciutto. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds over. (We did this totally out of order. We’re fired.)

Green Juice

  

Ingredients

• 5 apples, preferably organic
• 1/2 bunch celery
• 1/2 bulb fennel
• 1 cucumber
• 1/2 head romaine lettuce
• 1 (1-to-2-inch) piece of ginger
• 1 lemon, peeled
• 2 cups kale, spinach leaves, or parsley sprigs

Directions

1. Juice all ingredients in a juicer. Divide evenly between 2 glasses and serve.

 

Recipe found at: http://www.marthastewart.com/342401/green-juice

Roasted Fennel

Ingredients

• 2 fennel bulbs (thick base of stalk), stalks cut off, bulbs halved lengthwise, then cut lengthwise in 1-inch thick pieces
• Olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar

Method

1 Preheat oven to 400°F.

2 Rub just enough olive oil over the fennel to coat. Sprinkle on some balsamic vinegar, also to coat. Line baking dish with Silpat or aluminum foil. Lay out the pieces of fennel and roast for 30-40 minutes, or until the fennel is cooked through and beginning to caramelize. 

Recipe found at: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/roasted_fennel/

Fennel, Beet, and Orange Salad with Olives

3 medium beets, trimmed
1 tsp grated orange peel
1/4 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
1/9 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 fennel bulb, trimmed (fronds reserved), halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise
3 large navel oranges
1/3 cups halved pitted Kalamata olives


Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap beets in foil. Place on baking sheet. Roast beets until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Cool. Peel beets; cut into rounds. Mix orange peel, mustard and fennel seeds in bowl. Whisk in vinegar. Gradually whisk in oil. Season with salt and pepper. (Beets and dressing can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately; chill. Bring dressing to room temperature before using.) Place fennel slices in bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Cut peel and white pith from oranges. Cut oranges into rounds. Alternate beets and oranges along edge of platters, overlapping. Spoon fennel slices into center; sprinkle with olives. Drizzle remaining dressing over beets and oranges. Chop fronds; sprinkle over salad.