A Fennel Affair

It began with Caramelized Fennel Flatbread and a Sugar-Crusted Fennel & Pear Salad.  A good source of vitamin C, fiber, folate and potassium, I thought I might be able to try some other ways to prepare fennel that I would enjoy.  Luckily for you I found two ;)

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The first was a unique side dish of Sauteed Fennel with Almonds and Cherries.  My picture didn't turn out that great (check out the original!), but I really liked it.  Definitely a unique combination of flavors, and one that I'd certainly make again!  I left out the optional cilantro but otherwise followed the recipe (ok perhaps I cooked it a bit longer to make sure it was nice and caramelized!).

Sauteed Fennel w/Almonds & Cherries

The second recipe that caught my eye was one from Dan Barber, whom I saw speak at Harvard.  I found his recipe for Fennel Soup over at Two Fat Als and knew I wanted to give it a try.  The apple adds a hint of sweetness to this creamy bowl of soup-- delicious!!  I happened to be out of fennel seeds and fresh thyme, so I substituted half the amounts with fennel pollen and dried thyme.  I added these with the other seasonings so they were sauteed a bit before adding stock.

Dan Barber's Fennel Soup

How about you, do you give veggies a second chance?  Do you like fennel raw?  Have a favorite fennel recipe?