Fennel

Serve with freshly grated parmesan

Drain the pasta and reserve a little of the water. Add the fennel mixture to the pasta and to finish add the parsley.

Cook the Pasta in a large pan of boiling water as per the instructions.
Sweat the fennel and garlic in olive oil slowly until soft, add the wine and seasoning and cook for a further 1-2 minutes. Add the lemon zest and juice.

250g Fusilli Tricoloure
1 Fennel bulb, sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp Olive Oil
150 ml White wine
Sat and Freshly ground black pepper
Zest and juice of one Lemon
15g flat leaf parsley, chopped.
Grated parmesan to serve.

Serves 4

Fusilli with Lemon and Fennel

Soak the saffron in hot stock until required. Melt half the butter in a frying pan add the onion, chopped fennel, garlic and lemon zest and gently fry for 10 minutes until softened. Add the rice and stir for 30 seconds until the grains are glossy. Meanwhile heat the saffron stock to a gentle simmer, add a ladle of stock to the rice and cook, stirring until absorbed. Continue adding the stock a ladle at a time until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente (about 20 minutes). Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the remaining butter, lemon juice, vodka if using, parmesan, fennel fronds and salt and pepper, cover, leave for 5 minutes and then serve.

A small pinch of saffron threads
1.25 litres of hot vegetable stock
1 Fennel bulb, sliced
125g butter
1 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
finely grated zest and juice of one Lemon
300g risotto rice.
50g freshly grated parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
100ml vodka (optional adding this at the end gives a delightful flavour to the risotto)

Serves 4

Fennel and lemon Risotto

Cook the Pasta in a large pan of boiling water.
Heat a little oil in a frying pan and cook the fennel and onions for 3-4 minutes and then add the garlic and mushrooms, continue to cook for a further 2 minutes.
Drain the pasta. In a large bowl add the cooked pasta with the cooked fennel, onions and mushrooms mixture and then crumble in the feta and add the lemon zest, parsley and finally the fromage frais. Serve with a sprinkling of chopped parsley over the top.

250g fresh fettuccini
1 Fennel bulb, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
75g mushrooms, quartered
Zest of a lemon
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped.
50g crumbled feta cheese
100ml (3 1/2 fl oz) fromage frais
1 tbsp Olive Oil

Serves 4

Feta Fettuccini with Fennel and Mushrooms

Fennel is also excellent braised or roasted.

Fennel has a distinct flavour of anise, a taste that goes particularly well with fish. Fennel can be sliced finely and used raw in salads, its flavour contrasts well with apples, celery and other crunchy ingredients. The feathery tops can be used as a garnish.

Fennel

Fennel
Fennel has a distinct flavour of anise, a taste that goes particularly well with fish.