Welcome to our weekly series where we’ll let you know what fruit and vegetables are market fresh this week, give you handy storage tips and recipes to make the most of seasonal produce.
Fennel is a flowering plant species in the carrot family and is a hardy, perennial herb with yellow flowers and feathery leaves. Raw, braised or roasted, fennel is flavoursome and versatile and could become your new best frond!
Also called Florence fennel, it has a distinctive licorice flavour and sweet aroma – bulbs can be baked or eaten raw and the leaves chopped and used in salads, dressings and marinades.
Good fennel bulbs are white with some pale green markings and should be firm and heavy for their size. Avoid anything that’s yellowing or has brown spots and steer clear of any that are dry or starting to shrivel. The fronds should be fresh and perky without wilting or soggy spots.
Fennel bulbs and stalks are sturdy and can keep in the crisper drawer of the fridge for about five days – you can go longer, but remember the longer you leave it the tougher it gets. Fronds are a different matter – they can get limp pretty fast; if you like using them, snap off the sprigs and put them in a paper towel-lined container.
It is important to keep them dry as excess moisture will hasten their decline.
Fennel bulbs aren’t great for freezing and are best used fresh. The fronds and stalks can be stored in a zip-lock bag in the freezer for up to three months; use them in broths, braises, soups and sauce. It can also be canned and preserved in many ways, but is especially good pickled.
The health benefits of fennel include maintaining a healthy heart, skin, weight and appetite; it also has some anti-inflammatory benefits, along with improving symptoms of anaemia and supporting breast milk production.
Here are three easy ways to put fennel on the family dinner plate this week:
Fennel and chilli spiced lamb cutlets with superfood vegetable mix:
Served with a tasty superfood veggie mix, these speedy fennel and chilli-spiced lamb cutlets make for a fast and easy meal.
Orange and fennel baked chicken:
Ready in three easy steps, this orange and fennel-baked chicken makes the perfect family meal. Infused with white wine and chicken stock, it's full of rich delicious flavours. Give it a go!
Smoked salmon and shaved fennel pizza:
Topped with tasty fennel for a bright burst of flavour, change things up on pizza night with this easy recipe for smoked salmon pizza.
