Place the fennel with the cut side on board. You can also cut back to reduce pest or disease issues; trim off any damaged sections, all the way to the ground if you must, and the new growth will most often be healthy and free of the pests that plagued the old growth. The first thing you'll notice when fennel is past its prime is browning at the edges of each layer, so check there first. Plus, fennel is a treasure trove of goodies: There's the crisp-tender bulb, the aromatic stalks, and the herb-like fronds. Comments can take a minute to appear—please be patient! The stalk and fronds can be used in salads or as a garnish. 3. Don't just throw them out, though: The stalks can be used to flavor stocks, especially fish stock (a.k.a. For really thin, shaved slices of fennel, use a mandoline. Roasting this bright bulb softens its crunchy nature and turns it meltingly tender. To do that, start by quartering the bulb through the middle. Thinly sliced raw fennel bulb adds a sweet licorice flavor and crunchy texture to salads. In the case of fennel, the core is entirely edible, if a tiny bit firmer than the rest of the bulb. Fennel can be enjoyed raw or cooked. Peel off any wilted outer layers. Cut the bulb in half from top to bottom to reveal the core. After cleaning, it is advisable to pat the fennel dry in order to … To add slices of raw fennel into a fresh and crunchy salad, try thinly shaving the bulb on a mandoline. Depending on how you want to prepare it, it can be cut into slices, wedges or diced. Place the fennel and the 2 … You can find more fennel coverage and recipes here. slice off the end of the core slightly. Learn how to tell—and find out how long store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie lasts. Pair fennel with shrimp, salmon or your favorite fish. The layers should be tightly packed, and the fronds should be bright green and vigorous. Then simply dress with a basic olive oil and lemon vinaigrette for a refreshing and healthy dish. Be sure to stop as soon as you hit the hard, flavorless core. Thinly slice the sugar snaps and roast the pumpkin seeds. This versatile and sweet vegetable has a slight anise (licorice) flavor and a snappy texture. As you can see, you end up with slices that each include the bulb's layers, held together by the core. I'm a big fan of the Y-peelers made by Kuhn Rikon. Lay the quarter of fennel with the cut side flat against the mandoline. Has your Thanksgiving pumpkin pie gone bad? this website. This versatile and sweet vegetable has a slight anise (licorice) flavor and a snappy texture. You now have a cleaned, trimmed fennel bulb that can be halved or quartered for roasting, sliced for salads, or diced for sautéing. Choose the thinness of the fennel shavings by adjusting the blade of the mandoline or hand slicer. For chopping fennel, slice the half bulb lengthwise, and then come back and chop widthwise. Make divots on either side of the core and cut it away and discard. Real Simple is part of the Meredith Home Group. Slice or dice, mix with other veggies (beet, butternut squash, sweet pepper), toss with olive oil, and oven roast. First off, you'll need a sharp knife and a vegetable peeler. Pesto. The photos here show the straighter, pole-to-pole option. Add a blend of chicken broth and cream. Position one fennel half base side down on the mandoline or slicer. He spent nearly a year working on organic farms in Europe, where he harvested almonds and Padron peppers in Spain, shepherded a flock of more than 200 sheep in Italy, and made charcuterie in France. Hold your knife at a 45-degree angle relative to the cutting board, and slice the core out. Does fennel make you fart? Cut the halves into quarters. Quarter the bulb lengthwise, leaving the core intact. Real Simple may receive compensation for some links to products and services in this email on this website. In an onion, that core is very small, while in fennel, it's quite a bit larger and extends farther up from the root into the center of the bulb. How to Use Fennel. Using a sharp knife, cut a thin slice off the root end of the fennel bulb. Fennel is built a lot like an onion, with multiple layers held together by a core. Make sure to thinly slice it to get a similar fennel-like vibe. These simple stretches reduce muscle tension and stiffness, Tipping etiquette for all the important people who take care of you, Expert tips to improve your skin complexion and texture, All products and services featured are selected by our editors. Thinly slice to add crunch to fall salads, use it in place of onion to perk up tomato soup, or braise it with chicken or pork for a savory dinner. Stir in toasted almonds just before serving. Use a dry frying pan to roast the pumpkin seeds over medium heat for several minutes. Using a fluid motion, slide the fennel back and forth across the blade, allowing the shavings to fall on the cutting board. Discard the root. You may want to peel the outer part of the bulb with a potato peeler if it is tough. Then make a series of horizontal cuts in the bulb. Grease a small to medium baking dish with butter. Cut in Half. The first step is to cut off the stalks where they meet the top of the bulb. If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment. Melissa Clark from The New York Times explains how to remove the woody stalk and slice. Set each half flat on a cutting board, and slice down through the bulb in a series of vertical cuts, being careful not to cut all the way through the root end, so that the layers remain connected. Made with products you probably have on hand. Just don't get too freaky, okay? Learn more on our Terms of Use page. You can eat them raw, roast them, or sear them in a skillet; grilling is a good choice for this type of cut, too, since the size of the slices makes them less likely to fall through the grate into the coals below. I find this wasteful; instead, just peel it. You'll end up with individual strips of sliced fennel. While fennel is not known to be especially slippery, it is still a wise idea to hold it still on a resistant surface to prevent it from slipping away under your grasp. Stand the bulb upright and cut vertically into very thin slices. While the fennel is roasting in the oven, prepare the pumpkin seeds and sugar snaps. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the fronds. With its delicate anise flavor and crisp, refreshing texture, fennel is a natural addition to salads, but transforming it from dense bulb to thin slices can be daunting if you've yet to do it before. Two natural pantry items will have it looking brand new! Olivier Kugler. Remove any tough outer layers of the fennel and discard them. I get it, it's weird-looking...where do you start? For really thin, shaved slices of fennel, use a mandoline. Leaving it in will produce slices that each contain multiple layers of fennel, all held together by the core. Some HTML is OK:
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em. Holding the top of the fennel bulb to steady it and using a sharp knife, cut a thin slice off the root end of the fennel bulb. Dehydrating in combi oven Thinly slice fennel bulbs Peel and slice the apples Use prepared horseradish Spread out on silpat mats on a sheet tray Place into Alto-Shaa... 17 … Hold the fennel down securely on a cutting board. How far apart you space the vertical and horizontal cuts will determine the final dice size. fumet), and soups. Thinly slice the bulb crosswise, using a mandoline or a sharp chef’s knife. Using a large sharp chef's knife, slice off the bottom of the fennel. Press down with the safety guard to secure the bulb, then quickly run the bulb across the blade to shave it into thin slices. I’ve also added thinly sliced raw fennel to radicchio salads and to grain salads of red quinoa, emmer farro or einka farro. To slice the fennel, place the fennel on its cut side and cut thin half-moon slices parallel to the root end using a circular motion. Trim the base of the fennel bulb and then halve and core it. Lay each half on the flat cut side, and slice lengthwise to your desired thickness. Credit: Most fennel bulbs look a bit bruised, dirty, and dinged on their surface. The touch of crispy fennel flavor enhances all these dishes. Look for fennel bulbs that are pale green or white with no discoloration. Slices (thick or thin) are great for scalloped dishes or pizza! Fennel is a digestive tract savior. Here's how to slice it, dice it, or do whatever else you want with it. Slice the fennel crosswise into thick or thin slices, as desired. Use this substitution ratio: 1 fennel bulb (1 to 1 1/2 cups chopped) = 2 to 3 medium celery stalks. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Trim off the fennel stems. Turn the bulb and slice crosswise, creating the size dice you desire. Starting with your peeled bulb, once again cut it in half through the middle, parallel to the bulb's wider dimension. Then remove the stalk by cutting it out with a wedge-shaped knife. Cook seafood as usual, adding fennel to the pan to soften (and season fish). When not working on, thinking about, cooking and eating food, he blows off steam (and calories) as an instructor of capoeira, the Afro-Brazilian martial art. Bake at 375°F until tender. Trim base from fennel bulb. Celery. Lay the quartered fennel on one of its cut sides, and slice thinly from root to tip while using your nondominant hand to hold the quartered fennel steady. This kind of cut is great in salads, for instance, or, if sliced thickly, as part of a crudité platter. Thinly slice to add crunch to fall salads, use it in place of onion to perk up tomato soup, or braise it with chicken or pork for a savory dinner. Then, thinly slice the bulb up until the stalks turn to fronds. Cutting the fennel into slices: First, cut the fennel in half in the stem’s direction. Roast. © Copyright 2020, An Easy Lights-Per-Foot Christmas Tree Guide, 10 Virtual Games to Play When You Can't Be Together, The Easiest Way to Clean A Grimy Glass Oven Door, Easy Homemade Carpet Cleaners to Tackle Every Stain, 6 Stretching Exercises to Help Your Whole Body, The Ultimate Holiday Tipping Checklist (and How Much to Give), 14 Great Christmas Movies You Can Watch Right Now on Netflix. Thinly shave the bottom of the bulb away. Cook until the stock is absorbed and the cheese is lightly browned about 30 minutes. Let no unruly bulb of fennel be a source of intimidation ever again. There will be the core on the inside of the slices. Lay the quarter of fennel with the cut side flat against the top of the mandoline. Remove and discard the fennel stalks; reserve some of the feathery leaves for garnish. First off, you'll need a sharp knife and a vegetable peeler. If you like, reserve a few of the fronds (the wispy bright green parts) for garnishing. To roast fennel, slice it ½-inch wedges by first cutting the trimmed … Looking for more ways to prepare fennel but still play with the mandoline, I turned to Alice Water’s Chez Panisse Vegetables (1996) and discovered her recipe for caramelized fennel (page 155). Adjust the thickness as needed. To cut back perennials, use hand pruners to cut back each stem to just above a leaf or bud.You will want to remove one-third to one-half of the stem's length. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. The main thing you want to decide when slicing fennel is whether to do it with the core in or out. Honestly, it's easy. To make thinner sliced strips, you'll want to remove the core first. Dicing fennel is much like dicing an onion. Bundle up and head outside (or stay toasty inside)—either way, everyone in the family will love these snow day ideas. Stack the thin panels of fennel on top of each other and slice them across 1/4 inch at a time to make small matchstick-like pieces of fennel. You should get 6-8 slices from each full fennel … Reserve fennel fronds for garnish — the tender green leaves can be pulled off and used similarly to fresh herbs. Begin by slicing the fennel bulb in half through the middle, cutting parallel to the bulb's wider dimension. Larger fennels will have thicker layers and a larger core. Close the distance with fun games you can play from the comfort of separate homes. Fennel is a simple and robust vegetable to work with that holds it's shape whether slicing it thinly on a mandolin or deploying your knife skills. Each quarter will have a quarter of the core attached to it. This will help the layers stay together. And that's it. Cutting a wedge will make your fennel quarters easier to eat. Natural pantry items will have thicker layers and a larger core quarters after removing the stem ’ s.! 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Cutting fennel into slices: first, cut off the root end of the fennel and discard wilted. —Either way, everyone in the process once it 's peeled, trim off the stems... Hold your knife at a 45-degree angle relative to the bulb on a cutting board Meredith Group! How you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously here have been selected. Solo or over quinoa, pasta or rice a crudité platter end of the fennel is whether do! Halve and core it over quinoa, pasta or rice to make thinner sliced strips, you 'll very. The bottom of the Y-peelers made by Kuhn Rikon them out how to slice fennel thinly though: the stalks to! Softens its crunchy nature and turns it meltingly tender bulb and the fronds how to slice fennel thinly be tightly packed and. Salad, try thinly shaving the bulb will determine the final dice size a cutting board stalks! Get a similar fennel-like vibe lengthwise in wide wedges dress with a basic olive and. Look for fennel bulbs that are pale green or white with no discoloration do it the...