Fun with Fennel
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgure)
March is here and there is usually a great deal of talk about the color green this month. Maybe it’s that the coming of Spring and the color green seem to go so well together. Maybe it’s the love of green beer and certain green rivers.
I don’t really know. What I do know is that I have also been thinking about the color green when it comes to our food. How can we be more adventurous when it comes to preparing our greens? No, I am not going to tell you to eat more cabbage. Somehow, I feel like we have our cabbage game down. Not that anything is wrong with cabbage, I love cabbage, cooked, raw, dressed, undressed, you name it but, I was thinking about something a little more exotic. Perhaps it’s the delight of spring and all the promise it holds that has me feeling adventurous or maybe it’s just that I have a personal love of this veggie, herb, and spice.
I’m talking about fennel! That lovely light and airy plant that yields a lovely bulb and beautiful fronds that look like fluffy green feathers. They also make that crunchy seed that adds that special flavor to Italian fennel sausage and so many other dishes. Some call it a licorice flavor but I disagree, it is much milder, and I believe it has a flavor all its own: fragrant, slightly sweet, and quite unique. I also love that it does triple duty as a veggie, herb, and spice. Truly, could you ask for more from a simple plant?
So, what is there to love, nutritionally speaking? Fennel bulb (Foeniculum vulgure) is packed with Vitamin C and fiber. Both bulb and seed contain healthy minerals like manganese, magnesium, potassium, and calcium. Fennel consumption can help promote digestion, lactation, cell repair, and bone growth. It is high in antioxidants, contains antimicrobial properties and helps to improve overall immune function.
If you are thinking about growing some of your own here are a few tips from the Urban Farmer at ufseeds.com:
Fennel belongs to the carrot family. There are two types of fennel; Bulb or Florence fennel, mostly grown for the bulb and fronds. Common fennel or wild fennel is used for its feathery fronds, flowers and seeds. You can grow both, or you can grow Florence fennel and allow a few to go to flower and seed if you want to gather seeds for culinary uses all through the year.
For growing in your garden, plant seeds directly into the soil, fennel does not transplant well. (I know this to be true as I tried it and failed). It grows rather tall, so plant it in the back so as to not shade out other vegetables. Plant in a sunny spot with well-drained soil. Water sparsely until fronds appear, then water generously to keep the bulb hydrated. You can harvest the leaves separately but will need to be careful not to damage the root of the bulb. Once the bulb is the size of a tennis ball you can harvest the entire plant. Separate the fronds from the bulb and try the recipes I’m going to share with you today. Hopefully they will give you a new vegetable to enjoy or a new spice to start playing around with.
I am excited to note that I will be teaching these recipes live at Adler Commons on Wednesday nights.
If you are interested in attending, you can sign up here.
I hope you enjoy the recipes. I will be teaching once a month, live and in person, so I sure do hope I see you soon.
I am wishing you all a happy Spring; may you eat well, live well, and know that you are cared for.
Rosie
References:
Skidmore-Roth L. Mosby’s Handbook of Herbs & Natural Supplements. 3rd edition. St. Louis: Elsevier Mosby; 2006