To be honest, I’d never really had fennel up until about a month ago. I’d had fennel seeds in dishes before, but whenever I saw fennel bulbs for sale at the grocery store I am embarrassed to admit that I always just thought it was some kind of giant dill. But back in October at our upstate New York workshop, Carey whipped up a little something that blew away all my misconceptions about the vegetable. You see, she sliced the bulbs up and caramelized them. Yes, caramelized them. Like an onion. Slow-cooked in butter and olive oil until they’re lightly transparent and just golden around the edges, they loose the brightness of their anise-like flavor and gain something more sultry, warm, and savory-sweet in exchange.
There’s still the smallest hint of anise after the caramelization, and it pairs beautifully with the melted tangy goat cheese topping that gets crumbled over these guys. And when you toss in some fresh dill and lemon zest, you have the most wonderful sweet-sour-savory-herbal appetizer around. It’s wonderfully easy to make, just slice up the bulb and put it in a wide pan with some butter and olive oil. Flip a few times to cook evenly, and toss with other delicious things before serving. Most of the time spent making the dish is just sitting in the kitchen peering at your iPhone while you’re waiting for the fennel bulbs to finish caramelizing. It’s a great appetizer to make if you’re preparing other dishes simultaneously (hint hint, Thanksgiving) because the bulbs can sit there simmering in the pan while you’re tending to a few other dishes in the meantime.
This recipe is from the incredibly rich and vibrant cookbook Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi. Not a vegetarian himself, he wrote this astounding encyclopedia of vegetarian dishes that compounds their flavors in a dazzling and seasonal array of food that is at once both beautiful and ridiculously tasty. Keeping most of the recipes quite simple like this one, the instructions are straightforward, warm, and easy to follow, and it’s a great guide for those who are looking to incorporate more vegetables into their lives but are scratching their heads a bit about just where and how to start. And with that recommendation I have some good news as well, if you have a tablet or e-reader, the e-cookbook of Plenty is currently on sale for $3.99 as a part of Chronicle Books ‘Eye Candy’ rotating e-cookbook sale. Huzzah!! A ridiculously good deal for a book with over 120 dishes in it, if I do say so myself. And with that I will leave you with to your vegetable conquests, and wish you the best of luck in your Thanksgiving meal-planning bonanza.
This simple one-pot appetizer creates the most delicious fennel you'll ever have. It involves caramelizing them in a pan until they're tender, golden, and have developed a deep and rich flavor. Just top with a bit of chevre, lemon zest, dill, and enjoy!
Cut the stems and fronds off the fennel bulbs and set them aside for later. Cut the fennel bulbs vertically into 1/2-inch thick slices.
Heat the butter and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat in a wide and shallow dish until the butter has melted. Add the sugar, salt, and pepper to the pan and stir. Add a single layer of the fennel bulb slices and reduce heat to medium-low.
Cook until transparent and lightly golden around the edges, then flip and do the same with the other side. Remove the caramelized fennel bulbs from the pan and set them aside, then repeat with the remaining fennel bulb slices, making sure to always cook them in a single layer so that each slice is in contact with the pan.
Once all the fennel bulbs have ben caramelized, toss them with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, fresh dill, garlic, and fennel seeds. Serve them on top of the stems and fronds and top them with the crumbled goat cheese and grated lemon zest.
What a stunning dish. I'm smitten!
Caramelized fennel?? Such a good idea! And lucky me, I already have a couple heads of fennel in my crisper. This may have to happen!
Ohhhh perfect!! 😀 You will love it, this stuff is as easy as it is addicting.
Stunning recipe! My parents cooked fennel for me often times growing up but I have to admit that I haven't cooked with it since being on my own – thanks for the reminder about it!
Thanks for the heads up on the Chronicle sale! I downloaded both Plenty and Tartine, both of which somehow never made it to my cookbook shelf (which is probably good given how full it is).
Looks so delicious! Thanks for sharing this recipe! 🙂 Like your photos.
I love fennel, especially roasted in the oven until caramelized. In other words, this dish basically calls my name! I'm not really surprised to hear that this recipe is from Plenty; it's a fantastic book filled with awesome vegetarian recipes. One of my absolute favorites. Wishing you a lovely, not too busy Thanksgiving week!
I can't say I am a big fan of fennel, but this one looks (and sounds) incredible.
I just bought the Plenty More and it is a page turner.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and to your family Eva.
This looks wonderful. Wondering if you can provide an estimated time for this step, "Cook until transparent." I tend to have more success with a new recipe when an approximate time is given. Thank you!
I'm also a big Ottolenghi fan and have just bought his latest book, Plenty More, which is another incredible bible of full-flavoured vegetarian dishes – delish!
Is this still tasty when eaten cold?Considering adding it to our Christmas menu and top a salad with them.What a great recipe!