Fennel is a hugely versatile vegetable that grows easily, keeps well, and forms the basis of many dishes, from appetisers to desserts, particularly in Italian cuisine.
Imparting distinctive, yet subtle aniseed notes that vary in intensity, depending on whether it's eaten raw or cooked, knowing how to use fennel gives you access to a wonderfully useful vegetable.
If you are a beginner with fennel, here's a simple guide to get you started; from slicing the bulb to cooking techniques and recipes.
Buying Fennel
When selecting your fennel bulb be aware of the distinction of the gender forms depending on your recipe. The rounder, squatter male bulb is ideal for using raw, whilst the longer, flatter female bulb is preferable cooked.
How to cut a fennel bulb?
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. It can also simply be cut into wedges or quarters after removing the stem, depending on your chosen use.
Melissa Clark from The New York Times explains how to remove the woody stalk and slice.
