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D'vorahDavida
Yetzirah

Is That Edible?
Mon Nov 10 2008


It Looks Harmless Enough

I am determined to try everything at least once that comes in our fruit and vegetable boxes.

So I hied me off to the Tubes to look for recipes for Fennel. Found one for roasting it that sounded easy enough, so I tried it. Slice them, drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and roast at 400 degrees for 20 min.
[I roasted mine longer... it seemed to need it.]


[album 65561 Fennel.JPG]

I gave it a real taste... Can't say as I care for it fixed this way. It is fairly strong flavored and the texture is odd. It didn't soften up like I thought it would. I mean, it LOOKS like an onion. Onions are really good roasted... BUT, I'm not giving up yet. There are other recipes. And if it shows up again in a delivery, I will try them.

Even if we don't end up eating them, I could treat them as 'flowers'. Because the greens are lovely.

[album 65561 Fennel Flower.JPG]

But.... Kale? That's a different kettle of vegetables....

I made potato leek soup yesterday and added steamed kale and then pureed the soup....

This is divine:

[album 65561 Soup.JPG]

Kale and I are going to be good friends I can tell.

Well, I must be off, I promised the dogs a walk.



[album 65561 GoofyHen2.JPG]What's all this fuss
about a little Fennel?
You would think someone
was trying to poison her!
Buk up Cupcake!
It's just an herb....
I though you were
made of sterner stuff
than this.

9 Comments
  • From:
    KiwiKimi (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Nov 10 2008
    We grow fennel. It has such a strong taste that you either like it or you don't, and roasting it intensifies that taste (we also grow asparagus, and roasted asparagus is ambrosial to us).

    You could try boiling it briefly before roasting it; that would soften both flavour and texture. And discard the toughest outer leaves, or you'll be eating string.

    I make a fish stew with fennel in it that's seriously yummy. The fennel is a subtle addition.

    I've grown kale and loved it, but haven't had much success in recent years. Our climate isn't quite right for it.
  • From:
    KiwiKimi (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Nov 10 2008
    I meant to add: the greens are a nice addition, chopped, to soups or sauces.
  • From:
    Welshamethyst (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Nov 10 2008
    Along the lines of what Kimi said, I've had garlic fennel sauce on shark steak that was the bomb and the fennel was boiled first.
  • From:
    Welshamethyst (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Nov 10 2008
    I take that back. It was mahi-mahi with the fennel sauce not shark.
  • From:
    InStitches (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Nov 10 2008
    You keep this up and I'm going to have to try cooking. That soup looks very tasty.
  • From:
    Mamallama (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Nov 10 2008
    I'm in the mood to make more soup myself.
    You've sparked the soup bug in me!
  • From:
    ImNotLisa (Legacy)
    On:
    Tue Nov 11 2008
    Recipe please, for the soup. That looks lovely!
  • From:
    Diane (Unauthenticated) (Legacy)
    On:
    Thu Nov 13 2008
    Roasted fennel actually becomes sweeter tasting and it should be roasted until it softens quite a bit. Fennel has a licroice taste, but mellows when roasted.
  • From:
    Pragmatist (Legacy)
    On:
    Sat Nov 15 2008
    I got my first box today. Enjoying an apple right now. I'm not quite sure about chard, but I'll give the suggested recipe a try.

    Yams and broccoli are great. Clara came over and brought some kugel. I'm set for the next several days!!


    Bless