We learned a few interesting things about fennel when we researched this vegetable.
In her book, Nigella Fresh: Delicious Flavors on Your Plate All Year Round
We include fennel in our plate of salad ingredients. Since we may not be ready to eat at the same moment, Penny likes to prep and arrange the additions so we can add them to our greens.
She finds it helps the salad stay fresh longer while still adding a cool taste and crunch.
Our favorite vegetable reference book is Deborah Madison’s “Vegetable Literacy
The online, Real Food Encyclopedia offers these fun facts about fennel:
- “Pliny The Elder
, the ancient Roman author famous for his sweeping encyclopedia, ‘Natural History,’ mentions fennel numerous times as a treatment for stomach ache, to care for the ‘stings of serpents,’ for uterus health and as a treatment for a bunch of other ancient Roman maladies.”
- “In some places in the US, fennel has become an invasive species.”
- “Thomas Jefferson
once proclaimed Florence fennel his favorite vegetable.”
More on fennel here in part one of our fennel research.
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Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2018- 2019 Penny Cherubino
(Adapted for BostonZest from one of our Fresh & Local newspaper columns.)
. When we serve a fish topped with a breaded stuffing, there is fennel in that mixture. If there’s a piece of fennel that needs to be used, it may go in any soup from chicken to minestrone. Chopped fennel fronds often appear in his salads, stir fries, and stews.
, and 
became a spring favorite for both of us this year.
are among the ingredients in one bolognese sauce recipe we love!
for a spiced tea that contains fennel seed. Most of the time, we gently toast the seeds in a dry pan to bring out the maximum flavor before adding them, ground in a little 
or 
or whole, to a recipe.
as you leave Indian restaurants. In that culture they are considered an aid in digestion after a big meal.