FENNEL	VEGETABLES - KNOW YOUR VEG

Fennel w ith its creamy white bulb, pale green stalks and feathery leaves fennel is a pretty vegetable that is packed full of flavour. It has a distinctive aniseed flavour that goes particularly well with fish or chicken dishes. All parts of the vegetable are edible the bulb and stalk can be sliced and eaten raw or cooked and the fine leaves can be used as a garnish. Mini fennel is also available and is ideal for cooking whole. Choose small, pale green or white unblemished bulbs as dark green bulbs tend to have a bitter flavour.

How To Use Fennel

Fennel can be eaten raw or cooked. Serve slices of raw fennel with French dressing or garlic mayonnaise for dipping or as part of a salad. It can be braised and served as a side dish or cooked in a tomato sauce and topped with cheese for a supper dish.

How To Prepare Fennel

Trim off the feathery leaves and reserve for garnish, trim off the root. Leave the bulb whole or quarter or thinly slice it. To prevent discolouration, place the pieces into a bowl of water with a squeeze of lemon juice added.

How To Cook Fennel

Fennel can be braised, sautéed or roasted. To braise, place whole fennel or slices in a pan of water or stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 30 - 40 minutes or until cooked. To sauté, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan, add sliced fennel and cook for 10 - 15 minutes or until just tender. To roast preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Add 2 tbsp olive oil to a roasting tin and heat in the oven, add sliced fennel, season well and roast for 45 - 55 minutes or until tender.

How To Store Fennel

Keep refrigerated after purchase.

The information and images for this article have come from www.thinkvegetables.co.uk. It provides full information on all the main vegetables available on the UK market including nutritional information and delicious recipes. The site is a service provided by Mack Vegetables, one of the largest and most successful suppliers of fresh vegetables in the UK, serving a wide range of customers from caterers to major multiples. You can find out more about Mack by visiting the website at www.mwmack.co.uk