Fennel

These wonderful Florence-style fennel plants are cultivated for their bulbous and succulent root, although their greens are edible and delicious used as an herb, too. Fennel bulbs will first arrive in your shares in June, and then reappear in October.

Cooking Tips

Fennel bulb can be eaten either cooked or raw, and the entire bulb can be eaten except for the tough stem at the base. It has a slightly sweet flavor similar to anise or licorice, but a bit milder and with a pleasant crunch like celery. Served raw it is delicious thinly sliced as a snack or an appetizer, or chopped and tossed in dressing or drizzled with oil for a salad. Fennel is surprisingly versatile for cooking, too. Steam or sauté in olive oil until soft about 8 to 10 minutes, or bake in the oven for about a half an hour. Look for recipes from Italy, where it is very popular. Try using in recipes in the place of onion or celery; fennel's flavor will mellow a lot when it is well cooked.

Storage Tips

Fennel bulb should keep in a bag in your refrigerator for several weeks. The greens will not remain fresh for quite as long, but can be stored separately or dried to preserve them.

Nutrition

Fennel is high in vitamin A, calcium, potassium, and iron, and with almost no calories.

History

Fennel is a relative of carrots, parsnips, celery, and dill. Fennel grows as a weed in many places, but was originally native to the Mediterranean region and West Asia. Fennel bulbs are sometimes called Florence fennel after the city in Italy, and indeed this style of fennel is especially popular in Italian cuisine, where it is a staple of antipasti platters. Fennel greens, however, are used throughout much of Europe and Asia; they were popular in ancient Greece, have been used for a variety of medicinal purposes, and are an important flavoring in absinthe. The seeds of fennel, on the other hand, are widely used in Indian dishes and candies.