Discovering Fennel

Fennel is a vegetable I've never grown nor eaten. So this year fennel was on my list of trying to grow
something new or different, an experiment. This fennel was grown from seed in a tray and then
transplanted out into the garden.

A Fennel bulb

It took me a long time to try this Italian vegetable, finocchio, and to discover its many wonderful charactoristics.
The flavor is anise and is very intense when eaten raw, but like an onion, when saute/cooked the flavor becomes more subtle.  The flavor of cooked fennel is a light, delicate anise flavor. It has many nutrients from vitamin C, potassium, manganese, molybdenum, phytonutrients and antioxidants and only 26 calories in
1 cup.  The Greeks used to call fennel, maraino, "to grow thin".


I found a recipe in The Classic Italian Cookbook by Marcella Hazan
Finocchi all' olio  or Fennel braised in olive oil.
Braise the sliced fennel in a little oil, water and salt until soft and slightly browned.



Braised Fennel with Italian sausage
and a veggie pasta salad makes a great Italian meal.

Fennel can also be eaten for dessert as it tastes sweet, just like anise candy when sliced raw.
Imagine a sweet crunchy flavorful dessert with almost NO calories. What a discovery, Fennel!