Fennel fronds

[torakris]

My mother hated fennel, so it was one of those vegetables I never tasted until I was in my 20's. I love it now but have only bought it twice in my 10 years in Japan because it is really hard to come by.

Actually the second time was yesterday.

What can I do with the fronds?

Most fennel recipes call for you to reserve a couple tablespoons for garnish, but it seems like such a waste to throw the rest away.

Is there anything to do with just the fronds? maybe I can pull two meals out of this.

[Alex]

Save 'em for a vegetable stock?

[fifi]

I have the same problem as Kristin. I have been known so save some in the freezer for a small batch of specialty stock. Now I am wondering about whizzing some up in a neutral oil and freezing to use as sauce seasoning later. Still, if you used up those huge hanks of fronds that way you could be knee deep in fennel pesto in no time.

Could you make a pretty green cream of fennel soup with them?

I will await more ideas with great interest.

[Abra]

You can toss them in a salad. Make chicken broth and use them instead of celery. Chop them and use as you would fresh dill. Use them as a bed in your steamer when steaming fish.

I love fennel!

[chefzadi]

Depends on the season. Fennel fronds make a great addition to vegetable ragout/ratatouille for instance. Eggplant, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers and fennel fronds. Add some herbs, Algerian spices and red pepper flakes for a livelier version than common.

[carswell]

Chop the fronds. Combine with chopped waxy potatoes; chopped fennel (if you have any left over); smashed garlic cloves; a peeled and quartered onion or two; some peeled, seeded and chopped tomato; lots of fresh thyme leaves; a couple of bay leaves; a pinch of saffron threads; a shot of Pernod; and some chicken broth. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender. Serve as an accompaniment to roasted fish. Or poach the fish in the dish. Or steam it on top. Or up the amount of chicken broth and poach an egg or three in the dish for a bouillabaisse d'oeufs (rouille optional).

[mrbigjas]

use them to infuse vodka. makes a great addition to pasta sauces.

[DRColby]

I generally use them under a white fish on the grill to add flavor.

dave

[Kevin72]

Stuff them into fish or chicken. You can even save the whole stalk and its fronds and use it as a brush to sop on a marinade on items on the grill.

[SobaAddict70]

Use them in pasta.

Chop finely and combine with either caramelized onions/anchovies or with garlic, breadcrumbs, red pepper flakes and Italian parsley.

Soba

[carswell]

Point of information! By fronds do you mean the feathery leaves or the sturdy stalks? I'd been assuming the former but if the latter, you can air-dry them. The next time you grill a fish (striped bass is classic), throw the dried stalks on the coals under the fish a couple of minutes before the end of cooking. The smoke impregnates the flesh with a wonderful delicate smoky-anisy flavour.

[carswell]

Chop finely and combine with either caramelized onions/anchovies or with garlic, breadcrumbs, red pepper flakes and Italian parsley.

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Sicilians throw raisins or currants in with the onions and anchovies. Yum.

[ludja]

This is more for a decorative element, but I recently made a brilliant green fennel oil (from Keller's FL cookbook).

You blanch an equal amount of Italian parsley leave and fennel fronds in boiling water. Immediately cool in ice water. Squeeze dry and roughly cut with kitchen shears. Puree until very fine in blender with canola oil-- add herbs in batches, try to keep mixture from getting to hot as this will cause color to fade. Store puree in fridge. Think it keeps this way for at least a week. For use, let herb-oil mix gravity drip thru cheesecloth stretched over a container. Don't wring out or push mix thru as this will make it cloudy. Use filtered oil within a day or two.

(The dish I made this for was a strawberry, orange, candied fennel and rhubarb salad; the fennel oil was arranged in drops around the fruit salad on a plate. (On top--mascarpone sorbet and a sugared tuile).

[torakris]

Point of information! By fronds do you mean the feathery leaves or the sturdy stalks? I'd been assuming the former but if the latter, you can air-dry them. The next time you grill a fish (striped bass is classic), throw the dried stalks on the coals under the fish a couple of minutes before the end of cooking. The smoke impregnates the flesh with a wonderful delicate smoky-anisy flavour.

←

I was thinking about the feathery leaves but lat night as I was trying to get to sleep I started thinking that there must be something I can do with the stalks as well.

I am going to try the air drying tip!

and I am getting lots of good ideas for the fronds too.

[DanM]

I picked up a few fennel bulbs today at the farmers market. I probably have four times more fronds than bulb (1 lbs maybe?). Any thoughts or suggestions on what to do with the bounty of fronds?

Dan

[heidih]

Taste them. If tender enough they can be used in a salad. If too chewy I like to use them as a bed for roasting. They can be frozen and pulled out when you are roasting something that might be a match. Fish can pick up the subtle licorice nicely.

[slkinsey]

I like to blanch them very briefly in boiling salted water, then shock in ice water, then squeeze out as much water as possible, then blend into a thick paste with a bit of garlic and some extra virgin olive oil. This freezes very well. Then you can use it in various things. You can use it straight as a pasta dressing, for example, or thin it out and drizzle over fish. But I find it really shines as a last-second adornment for long-cooked meats. Swirl some into the sauce of a braise, for example. Just a few weeks ago I made a very rich lamb ragu I served with spaghetti alla chitarra. I swirled in some thinned fennel paste at the last second, and it not only contributed an ethereal fennel flavor, but also a welcome contrast of fresh green flavor.