45 mins
Braised Fennel
Recipe by Graham
Fennel was never my favourite vegetable since I first ate it in a hotel restaurant and it was hard and tasted like lavatory cleaner! However, this recipe for Braised Fennel completely dispels that notion as the fennel is soft, succulent and bears only a gentle hint of the anise for which it has become known.
Fennel cooked in this fashion goes equally well with white meats, fish or even red meats. It is both versatile and tasty.
Boiled Rice 
Braised Leeks Ingredients for Braised Fennel
Currently displaying quantities in US Imperial Measurements
How to Cook Braised Fennel
- Remove all the "stalks" of the fennel, leaving just the bulb. Remove any hard, weathered outer layers then wash the bulbs and cut into four, from top to bottom (not across).
- Heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Lightly salt the fennel then quickly brown it on all sides. Turn down the heat and add the white wine. Cover and simmer very gently for at least 30 minutes (I prefer about 45 minutes myself) until the wine has been totally absorbed and the vegetable is tender (add a little more wine during cooking if necessary).
- Remove the fennel from the pan then deglaze the pan using the balsamic vinegar. Pour the glaze over the fennel and serve immediately.
GRAHAM'S HOT TIP:
Be sure to cook your fennel on a very low heat so that the wine is just "murmuring" at the bottom of the pan. Fennel is a hard bulb and needs long, slow cooking to become fully tender.
Reviews of Braised Fennel
| August 14 2014 This really was a good way to treat fennel. It's not a vegetable that many people take too, but the long braising plus the balsamic vinegar take the edge off the anise and leave a lovely, tender, mellow vegetable. Thanks for a great recipe. SueCrewe (4 reviews) |
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