Fennel

Grilled Fennel Salad with Fresh Herbs and Parmesan

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 fennel bulbs, sliced

  • olive oil

  • fresh herbs like basil, parsley and thyme and some fennel fronds

  • lemon juice and zest

  • Parmigiano Reggiano shavings

PREPARATION:

  1. If your fennel bulbs have stalks and fronds on them, then you'll want to trim them off.

  2. Cut off any hard and inedible outer parts.

  3. Trim a tiny bit off the bottom, the core helps to keep your slices in tact.

  4. Holding your fennel bulb upright cut ¼ inch slices vertically from top to bottom.

  5. Brush each side with olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper.

  6. Place slices on a medium hot grill turning until you get a nice char on each side and fennel is tender to the touch.

  7. Whisk together the lemon, olive oil, herbs and zest adding salt and pepper to taste, then drizzle all over.

  8. Garnish with the shavings of Parmigiano Reggiano.

  9. Delicious slightly warm or at room temperature.

Roasted Carrot and Fennel Soup With Miso-Glazed Mushrooms and Cashew Cream

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 cup raw cashews

  • 1 bunch carrots (about 10 oz.), trimmed, peeled, cut into 1" pieces

  • 1 large fennel bulb (about 10 oz.), fronds reserved, bulbs halved, cored, and cut into 1" pieces

  • 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

  • 1¼ tsp. kosher salt, divided, plus more

  • Freshly ground white or black pepper

  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped

  • 2 tsp. finely chopped peeled ginger

  • 1 Tbsp. mirin

  • 2½ cups (or more) no- or low-sodium vegetable broth

  • 2 tsp. plus 1 Tbsp. white miso

  • 4 oz. shiitake mushrooms (about 4 large), thinly sliced

  • 1 tsp. unseasoned rice vinegar

PREPARATION:

  1. Place cashews in a small bowl and pour in water to cover. Let soak at room temperature at least 2 hours and up to 4 hours.

  2. Preheat oven to 400°. Toss carrots and fennel on a rimmed baking sheet with 2 Tbsp. oil and 1 tsp. salt. Season with pepper. Roast, rotating pan halfway through, until vegetables are just starting to brown around the edges, about 20 minutes.

  3. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high. Add onion, ginger, and ¼ tsp. salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened slightly and translucent, about 5 minutes. Mix in roasted carrots and fennel, then add mirin, scraping up any browned bits. Pour in broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until vegetables are softened, 30–40 minutes.

  4. Meanwhile, whisk 2 tsp. miso and 1 Tbsp. warm water in a small bowl to combine. Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in a medium skillet over high. Cook mushrooms, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat, add miso mixture, and stir to coat. Set aside.

  5. Drain cashews and transfer to a blender. Pour in enough water to cover (½–¾ cup) and blend on high speed until smooth and light. (about 2 minutes if you’re using a high-speed blender). It should be the consistency of just-whipped cream. Thin with more water if needed.

  6. Remove pot with carrot mixture from heat and stir in remaining 1 Tbsp. miso. Purée soup with an immersion blender until smooth (or, use a regular blender, working in batches if needed). Thin with more broth or water, if needed. Stir in vinegar; taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Stir in ¼ cup cashew cream.

  7. Ladle soup into bowls and top with reserved mushrooms, a dollop of cashew cream, and reserved fennel fronds.

Roasted Fennel with Parmesan

INGREDIENTS:

  • 4 tablespoons olive oil

  • 4 fennel bulbs, cut horizontally into 1/3-inch thick slices, fronds reserved

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/3 cup freshly shredded Parmesan

PREPARATION:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

  2. Lightly oil the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange the fennel in the dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then with the Parmesan. Drizzle with the oil.

  3. Bake until the fennel is fork-tender and the top is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Chop enough fennel fronds to equal 2 teaspoons, then sprinkle over the roasted fennel and serve.

Roasted Golden Beet Salad with Pea Shoots and Fennel Fronds

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 pounds baby golden beets, scrubbed, tops and root ends trimmed

  • ¼ cup olive oil, divided

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

  • Pea shoots (tendrils), fennel fronds, and flaky sea salt (for serving)

PREPARATION:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place beets in a shallow baking dish. Drizzle with 2 Tbsp. oil; season with kosher salt and pepper. Add ½ cup water and roast until beets are tender and a paring knife inserted into the center meets no resistance, 50–60 minutes. Let beets cool slightly, then peel.

  2. Cut beets in half and arrange on a platter. Whisk lemon juice, vinegar, and remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in a small bowl; drizzle over beets. Garnish with pea shoots and fennel fronds and season with flaky sea salt.

Harvest Salad with Roasted Grapes & Pistachios

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 delicata squashes, halved crosswise, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch rings

  • 1 fennel bulb, trimmed, halved and cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices

  • 6 tbsp olive oil, divided

  • 1 3/4 tsp sea salt, divided

  • ground black pepper, to taste

  • 2/3 lb black or red seedless grapes, large stems removed

  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

  • 1–2 tsp raw honey

  • 8 cups butter lettuce

  • 1/2 cup roasted, shelled pistachios, chopped

PREPARATION:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.

  2. In a large bowl, toss squash, fennel and 2 tbsp oil. Arrange vegetables in a single layer on 2 prepared sheets, making sure not to crowd them. Season with 1 tsp salt and pepper to taste. Roast until tender and slightly caramelized, 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside to cool.

  3. Increase oven to 425°F. In a bowl, toss grapes with 1 tbsp oil. Arrange on remaining prepared sheet; sprinkle with ¼ tsp salt and pepper to taste. Roast grapes until shriveled slightly, about 12 minutes. Let cool.

  4. Meanwhile, to a jar with a screw-top lid, add remaining 3 tbsp oil, lemon juice, vinegar, honey, remaining ½ tsp salt and pepper to taste; shake well until combined. To a large bowl or platter, add lettuce. Toss with a small amount of dressing, just enough to coat leaves lightly. Arrange squash and grapes over top; drizzle with more dressing. Top with pistachios.