This one I found in the magazine, and I made it on Sunday for my birthday dinner.
For two, you need
- four bulbs (is that the right term?) of fennel
- 3 - 5 table spoons olive oil
- 4 - 6 table spoons cream
- salt, pepper, chili powder or some other hot spice
- 40 - 50 g grated or shaved parmesan (or any other type of cheese fit for baking)
Preheat the oven to 190 C (370 F).
Remove outer layer from fennel, halve the bulbs and then cut them into slices about as thick as a finger.
Place them in an oven dish (like one you use for gratins or brownies).
Mix oil, cream and spices well. Use as much spice as you like; the chili powder works surprisingly well with the fennel, but may not be to everyone's liking. Remember that parmesan (which will be added at the end of the baking time) is rather salty, so don't add too much salt to the mix.
Spoon the liquid mixture over the fennel slices, then cover the dish firmly with aluminium foil.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Take the dish out, remove the foil, and grate or shave parmesan cheese on the fennel.
Put back into the oven (without the foil) for another 10 to 15 minutes; keep checking so that the parmesan does not burn black.
Serve as a side dish with meat, pasta or whatever strikes your fancy - or as the main dish with crusty bread.
I made these "egg nests" with it, which worked well, as the nests have very different textures, colours and taste from the fennel. Also, my oven allows for two dishes baking at the same time, and it was really nice being in the comfort of my warm kitchen with the scents of food around me.
Fennel is a wonderfully versatile vegetable; you can eat it raw as a salad, fry it covered in breadcrumbs, boil it, bake it - the result is always delicious. And that's coming from me! Because here is the strange thing: I don't like the smell and taste of aniseed. In fact, I detest it, and I never drink Sambuca, Ouzo or Pastis, for exactly that reason. BUT... I really like fennel, although both its smell and taste remind one of aniseed. Weird, huh!
This sounds delicious. It is surprising that you like fennel and not aniseed. I wonder if it is a genetic thing. My children all love cilantro and I'm one of the people to whom it tastes like soap and insects blended together. Ugh! But apparently I lack the gene that makes people enjoy it. OTH, I really love the taste of coriander seed ground up. And coriander and cilantro are the same plant.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that about coriander and cilantro. One never stops learning!
DeleteThat certainly looks delicious! I have never baked fennel so this would be a good new dish for me to try. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Bonnie. This weekend, I want to try a recipe I found in the "Dalesman".
DeleteI am astonished. I've never bought fennel because I was told it tasted like aniseed and whilst I ate aniseed balls as a child I'm not keen on it. I've not seen it in our supermarkets but I shall look (when this crisis is over) and try it (if I can).
ReplyDeleteI can't think of any vegetable I don't like. When I was a child, I didn't like aubergines, but that has changed. I'm not overly keen on on zucchini, but that's because I consider them a little bland. Depending on how it is prepared, I think all vegetables can be delicious.
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DeleteI removed the first writing of this because I forgot about grating the squash.
I love the Hungarian way to cook summer squashes, including zucchini. They grate it, cook it cook down, season it with salt, pepper and dill, and add lots of sour cream thinned with milk.
Thank you for the recipe, I like fennel but have only ever found limited use for it so a recipe like this is especially welcome. I would also like to say Happy Birthday for the 23rd March, I am just catching up.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Rachel! (it was the 22nd)
DeleteI'm glad you like fennel, too. If you make this, I'd be interested to know how you liked it.
Yum, this looks and sound delicious and I'm going to try it a soon as I can get to the store where I can buy fennel bulbs!
ReplyDeleteEggs are always good, being a non-meat eater I do use a lot of eggs in my dishes. Made another of my standbys today, it was tasty and we have plenty of leftovers - mixed mushrooms and fresh spinach quiche. I have a new source of local fresh organic eggs - will post on that soon!
Bon appetit Meike. Will you and O.J. be able to get together this coming weekend?
The plan is for O.K. to come here again this weekend, if we both keep feeling as well as we do.
DeleteYour quiche sounds wonderful, I love spinach, and it features in the recipe I want to try this weekend if I manage to get fresh spinach (they only had frozen packs in the supermarket last time).
The eggs I buy are organic, too.
This recipe looks good but I think you must have better fennel in Germany! And I have to tell you, I read the 1st comment here from Kristi and I am laughing because we are so much like! I cannot STAND cilantro! Soap and insects blended together! HA! I needed something ot giggle about today, and that is it! Just read comment above, I also like to make a spinach quiche, it can't have a crust because it is gluten free, but it's pretty good anyway! Take care! xx
ReplyDeleteI am glad that comments on my blog made you giggle, Kay. You are right, we all can do with a bit of fun right now.
DeleteHopefully, I can get fresh spinach tomorrow, so that I can try the recipe I found in the Dalesman this weekend.
Mmmm…...that last photo with the eggs nest made me hungry! Yum! I like it when you share recipes. I've never considered buying fennel but maybe I should give it a try.
ReplyDeleteThe egg nests are definitely in the comfort food category for me - easy to make, warming up the kitchen first and then my belly!
DeleteHappy belated birthday! n spite of lockdown you seem to have been able to have a pleasant celebratory day.
ReplyDeleteGoodness, we really need a Lichtblick in this Jammertal.
Do you know I have never eaten cooked fennel. I shall have to try it. Cooking is something I do again now that meetings with friends are cancelled. The problem is that I want to share what I cook with them.
Thank you, Friko!
DeleteI know what you mean; it is exactly the reason why I usually do not cook for myself. When I have guests - mostly O.K., but occasionally others/more - I so enjoy making something for them. My results are not always what I intended, but there's always plenty of goodwill, love & friendship in my dishes.