Veggie IDs: Fennel

Fennel for your thoughts? This is a beautiful vegetable but not on the highly popular list for folks. Mostly because people are unfamiliar with it. Fear not, it is delicious. For those of you who haven’t used your fennel from last week’s CSA, here are some ideas for you!

Both the fronds and the bulb are edible. It is very versatile in the kitchen and you can bake, roast, braise, stew, grill, sauté, stirfry, steam, boil, or eat it raw.

Fennel has a distinct mellow and delicately sweet licorice flavor and is related to dill, cumin, anise, and carrots and contains significant amounts of vitamin C, potassium, manganese, molybdenum, and copper.

To store: Cut off the stalks where they emerge from the bulb. If you want to use the feathery foliage as an herb, place the dry stalks upright in a glass filled with two inches of water. Cover the glass loosely with a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator for a few days. The unwashed bulb may be kept in a plastic bag in the refrigerator drawer for 2 weeks or more.

To prep: Remove the tip base of the white bulb. Cut off the stalks. Chop or mince the stems and leaves for garnish or seasoning.