I don’t blame anyone for wanting to steer clear of fennel: It’s weird looking, and its anise/licorice flavor is unusual.
And yet fennel isn’t exactly hard to find — it shows up at our local farmers markets, in our CSA shares, and in our grocery stores.
Let’s try out some new ways to give this odd little cousin of the carrot its due.
My favorite thing to do with fennel is to caramelize it. Remove the top and bottom of your fennel bulb, then cut it in half and remove the core. Chop what remains into
-inch thick slices, add them to a pan with olive oil (or bacon fat, if you’ve got it handy), and cook them until they’re brown on each side, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Let the fennel slices rest on a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. The salt, and the sweetness from caramelizing, balance and give depth to the fennel’s natural flavor. Honestly, these are delicious on their own, or add them to burgers, seafood, salads, etc.
— Brian Snell of CISA (Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture)