FENNEL

Fennel is a bulb that is sweet and has a licorice-y taste. Make sure to slice it thin - it can be fibrous, like celery. It’s a great addition to tomato sauces, cucumber salads, and pairs nicely with beans and peppers. Use the fronds as a garnish for a cocktail or instead of dill in a cucumber or potato salad.

STORAGE: Store in a closed container or in a plastic bag in the fridge. The fronds (the frilly parts) will be the first to start yellowing. The bulb can last up to a month if the stalks are trimmed off.

PRESERVATION: To extend the harvest, cut and freeze, or pickle with sweet peppers and onions.

RECIPES:

Roasted Green Beans, Peppers, and Fennel

• Green beans (flower end trimmed off, leave whole)

• Fennel bulb (thinly sliced)

• Red Pepper-any variety (sliced thinly into rounds and de-seeded)

• Olive oil

• Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 F. In a large mixing bowl, toss all vegetables in a generous amount of olive oil. Lay on a baking sheet or roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20-30 minutes, stirring once or twice during roasting. Some of the beans will get nice and caramelized. This is great as a side, with a poached egg on top, over a salad, or over a bed of rice. You can also add a splash of soy sauce upon serving.

Roasted Radicchio, Fennel, and Sweet Pepper Pasta and Arugula Pesto

• 1 bulb fennel (thinly sliced)

• 1 head radicchio (thinly sliced)

• 2-4 sweet peppers (sliced into rounds and deseeded)

• Any type of pasta you desire

• Balsamic vinegar

Arugula Pesto

• Bag of arugula

• 1/4 c olive oil

• 1/4 c finely grated parmesan cheese

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1-2 cloves garlic

Blend all ingredients into a paste, adding oil gradually until it becomes creamy. Use as you would basil pesto.

Preheat oven to 425 F. Toss sliced fennel, radicchio, and peppers in a mixing bowl with 2 T of olive oil. Arrange on a sheet pan and roast for 15-20 minutes, until veggies begin to brown. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook pasta. Toss the cooked pasta in the arugula pesto and top with roasted veggies. Drizzle extra olive oil and balsamic vinegar on top.

Cucumber and Fennel Salad

• Cucumbers (peeled or unpeeled, and sliced very thin into rounds)

• Fennel bulb (sliced as thin as cucumbers)

• Fennel Fronds (the fronds are the frilly parts, chopped very small)

• Onions (sliced very thin into rounds)

• 1 c white vinegar

• 2 c water

• Salt and pepper to taste

  Because the texture of this salad is really nice when the veggies are sliced thin, take advantage of a mandoline or a food processor with a slicing attachment if you have access to one! Slice the cucumbers, fennel, and onions, and add to the container you plan to store the salad in. Then add the chopped fennel fronds. In a measuring cup, measure out vinegar and stir in salt. *For those of you who like a little sweet with your sour, you can add equal parts sugar and salt here . Pour mixture over veggies. Then add water to dilute the vinegar. (This is a pretty low acid brine; if you want to add more zing to it, add more vinegar.) Then add black pepper and gently mix together. You can eat it immediately, or chill it in the fridge first. The brine in this salad can be used many times, and can also be used for making your own salad dressing.