Fennel, Fennel Everywhere

“Note: we’re currently gathering samples in the most industrial soils we can find to measure potential toxins - if the plant tissues from these soils haven’t accumulated toxins, pretty much any urban soil will be safe. More on that later! ”

Whether you've been looking for it or not, you likely come across wild fennel, or Foeniculum vulgare, quitefrequently. On a recent sample gathering in West Oakland, I was once again struck by just how rampantly wild fennel grows. Asphalt, cement, roadsides, or parking lots, wild fennel survives and thrives everywhere. 

Feathery leaves of wild fennel fronds.

Foraging wild fennel in a North Oakland median.

A member of the same family as carrot, parsley, and dill, fennel has thin feathery leaves that connect to a larger stem. The plants can grow very tall and may have delicate yellow flowers. On foraging walks, I always get very hopefully asked about how to harvest the fennel bulb, but alas, wild fennel does not have a large bulb as  you find with conventional fennel. Fortunately, the leaves are incredibly abundant and flavorful, as are the stalks, and flowers, pollen, and seeds in season. Fennel often grows alongside poison hemlock, which is in the same family, but has leaves more like carrot tops and purple splotches on the stems. If you are unsure if what you have is fennel, give it a smell - the smell will undeniably tell you if you have fennel. You can find fennel primarily in the spring through early fall, though I have seen it at all times of the year, and the flowers and pollen can be found in the summer.

Although you probably wouldn't want to make an entire salad of fennel, the sweet anise and licorice flavor works great as a garnish. Try it in sauces, on fish or chicken, in soups, in omelettes, desserts, and as a salad component. The pollen is lovely as a tasty condiment and the seeds are a digestive aid. 

When in doubt - smell the plant and if it's fennel, it will definitely smell like fennel.

The below is NOT FENNEL, but POISON HEMLOCK. Note the carrot-like leafy tops and purple splotches on the stem. The poison hemlock flowers are similar to fennel so be sure you carefully determine what you're picking and identify the fennel by the feathery, thin leaves and smell.

Photo credit: http://www.kingcounty.gov/

Cherry and Wild Fennel Clafoutis

Sometimes, a word for a dish or a food preparation method I have never used will come to me and I will not rest until I have experienced it. That is what happened with "clafoutis" - I have no idea where I was introduced to the word, but after we picked up some cherries on our way back from a wedding in beautiful Los Olivos, all I could think about was making a cherry clafoutis, while at the same time asking myself, "cherry clafoutis is a thing, right?" This is where the internet came in, helpfully proving that cherry clafoutis is, indeed, a thing and although I don't necessary need a reason to make special desserts, my mother was serendipitously visiting for Mother's Day. Using a recipe from Saveur as a base, I decided to decrease the egg because some comments complained of eggy-ness and I tend to shy away from really eggy desserts and include wild fennel (more on wild fennel including foraging here), as cherry and fennel go together in a delightful way.

There are a few great things about this dessert. The first is that it's easy - really easy. It's also visually impressive in the cast-iron pan and versatile in ingredient options (apricot + almond? pear + bergamot?) and, because it's not super sweet, it's also versatile in potential eating occasion. We enjoyed it with fennel whipped cream as dessert and again the next day with coffee for brunch and I'm pretty sure no one would turn their nose up to a clafoutis at tea time. So, now you have no excuse - get out there, forage some fennel (which is all over the bay area), buy some cherries, and make this deliciously easy puffed crepe-like cake! Recipe below serves 8.

“Cherries can also be unpitted, which provides a more rustic flavor and texture, but I did not this time, as I knew my mom wouldn’t like it!”

• 1 cup chopped wild fennel fronds, plus a few fronds for garnish

• 1/2-1 cup whipping cream, depending on how much your group likes whipped cream (optional)

• 7-8 tablespoons sugar, divided

• 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, divided

• 1/2 tablespoon butter

• 1-1/4 cups whole milk (can be substituted for a combination of 3 parts reduced fat and 1 part whipping cream, if you happen to have these around like I did)

• 2 tablespoons kirsch or Luxardo (I had Luxardo, but think it would be better with kirsch)

• 5 eggs

• 1/2 teaspoon medium coarse Kosher salt, divided

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 3 cups black or sour cherries, pitted (see post on how to pit cherries like a boss)

• Confectioner's sugar, for dusting

Infuse whipped cream with wild fennel by allowing whipping cream to impart fennel flavor overnight.

To make fennel whipped cream: Place 1/2 cup chopped fennel in a mason jar, pour whipped cream over top, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Remove fennel then beat cream until whipped, adding 1-2 tablespoons of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla toward the end of beating. Refrigerate until used.

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a 9'' cast-iron skillet and set aside. Whisk milk, sugar, kirsch or Luxardo, vanilla, eggs, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until combined. Add flour and whisk until smooth, about 30 seconds.

Pour batter into buttered skillet, then distribute cherries evenly over top. Bake until a skewer inserted into batter comes out clean and a golden brown crust has formed on top and bottom of clafoutis, about 25 minutes. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve with a dollop of fennel whipped cream, if desired.

Classic, Beety, Borscht

The dark red beetroot soup in this photo is complemented by radish flours, yogurt, and fennel fronds.

What better way to celebrate Earth Day than with the the beloved and ubiquitous beetroot soup of Eastern Europe? There are many ways to make borscht, from hot and hearty to cold and demure. Although hot borscht with chunks of beetroot and beef broth is comforting on a wintry day, this cold puréed version might be just what you're looking for as spring moves into summer and appetites are better pleased with brighter, lighter flavors. Serves 6-8.

“I’ve always been tempted to make borscht using golden beets, but as they tend to oxidize and turn black more easily, it always makes me nervous - if you ever do it, let me know! ”

• 1 pound red beets (about 3 medium), scrubbed cleaned

• 1 medium onion (about 1 cup), chopped

• 1.5-2.5 cups chicken broth (if not homemade, then low sodium)

• About 1 teaspoon salt

• Juice from 1/2 lemon

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 cup yogurt or sour cream

• Chopped dill or fennel fronds, for garnish

• Radish flowers, for garnish (optional)

The beet moves on.

Steam beets in a medium-large pot over about 2 inches of simmering water (about 2.5 cups). Cook beets for 20 minutes, add onions to water simmering below beets, and continue cooking until beets are tender when pierced with a fork, about another 5 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit until beets are cool enough to touch.

Peel beets by sliding off skin under cold running water, dice, and add to the oniony water. Add 1.5 cups chicken broth and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Blend soup with an immersion blender until smooth, adding more broth and salt as needed. Blend in lemon juice once desired texture has been reached.

Allow soup to come to room temperature then chill for at least 2 hours or overnight. Serve with black pepper, a dollop of yogurt or sour cream, and fennel fronds. 

Borscht is great paired with avocado rye toast dusted with smoked paprika.

Bouillabaisse with wild fennel

My mother wasn't a typical Martha Stewart-like homemaker (sorry, mom), but she did have a few tricks up her sleeve and one of them was bouillabaisse (another was making things magical, but we're not going there right now). I grew up in a fish-loving area of Northern California and, even with a limited budget, we were able to get good, super fresh, seafood regularly. Bouillabaisse was one of those dishes that we requested for birthdays, made for special occasions, and always got excited about because it meant "special". As time moved on, we grew up and had more disposable income, which allow for a crab leg here, better fish there, and even an infamous (gasp) lobster tail on one occasion. These variations taught me about the adaptability of bouillabaisse, which I take with me when I prepare it now, adding shellfish and fin fish as available. The version below also includes a dash of Pastis, the anise-flavored liquor favorite from the south of France. Serves 4-6, preferably with crusty french bread or toasted crostini to mop it up.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• A few wild fennel stocks and fronds (can substitute store-bought bulb/fronds)

• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

• 2 cups fish stock

• 1.5 cups dry white wine

• 1 pound rock cod or other firm white fish

• 1 pound medium to large shrimp (I prefer with the peel)

• 14 ounce can diced tomatoes

• 1 pound fresh clams

• 2 tablespoon pastis, such as Ricard

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

• Chopped parsley for garnish

Dice the fennel stalks to yield ~1/4-1/2 cups. Pluck fronds and set aside for later use.

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the fennel stalk, onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly tender, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the fish stock and wine and bring to a boil. Add the rock cod, shrimp, and tomatoes and cook, covered, for 3 minutes.

Add the clams and cook, covered, until the cod and shrimp are cooked through and the clams have opened, 3 to 5 minutes.

Stir in the pastis, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with the parsley and garnish with fennel fronds before serving.

fennel, bulgur, & chicken salad with blood orange

One of the most satisfying things to do in the kitchen is to reinvent leftovers and salads are a great way to do this as they allow for the addition of all kinds of bits and pieces. This recipe calls for chicken breast and provides cooking instructions, but there's no reason you couldn't chop up some leftover roast chicken, now is there? Along the same vein - no grapefruit? No problem - try oranges or even apples! Out of bulgur, but have some quinoa? Sounds great! Really - the possibilities are endless, but I really do enjoy this combination of the sweetly herbal, crunchy fennel and the juicy, rich blood orange paired with chicken and bulgur. Fantastic for lunches or picnics. Serves 4 as a main.

• 1 cup dry bulgur

• Two 6-ounce boneless chicken breasts (preferably skinless)

• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil, divided

• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt, divided

• 3 medium blood oranges

• Juice from 1 lemon

• 1 large fennel bulb, with fronds (try wild fennel stalks and fronds!)

• 1/4 cup diced fresh green onion

• Salad greens (optional)

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

In a saucepan, combine bulgur with 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until tender. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, coat the chicken breasts with 1/2 tablespoon of grapeseed oil and sprinkle with about half of the salt. Lay the chicken on a baking sheet and bake on the top oven rack for 15 minutes or until cooked through - flip the chicken halfway through cooking time. Allow to cool and then slice into 1/4-inch thick strips.

Cut oranges in half. Squeeze the juice from one of the halves into a small bowl or jar. Add the remaining grapeseed oil, salt, tablespoon of olive oil, and lemon juice to the blood orange juice. Whisk or cover jar and shake until thoroughly combined.

With a knife, remove the peel and outside pith of the remaining 5 orange halves. Slice into wedges. It's helpful to know how to segment citrus like a boss.

Remove the fronds from the fennel bulb and thinly slice the bulb. Chop several of the fronds, enough to fill 1/2 cup.

Toss bulgur with dressing, chicken, orange wedges, fennel bulb, fennel fronds, and green onion. Serve at room temperature or cold atop salad greens (if desired).

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

In a saucepan, combine bulgur with 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until tender. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, coat the chicken breasts with 1/2 tablespoon of grapeseed oil and sprinkle with about half of the salt. Lay the chicken on a baking sheet and bake on the top oven rack for 15 minutes or until cooked through - flip the chicken halfway through cooking time. Allow to cool and then slice into 1/4-inch thick strips.

Cut oranges in half. Squeeze the juice from one of the halves into a small bowl or jar. Add the remaining grapeseed oil, salt, tablespoon of olive oil, and lemon juice to the blood orange juice. Whisk or cover jar and shake until thoroughly combined.

With a knife, remove the peel and outside pith of the remaining 5 orange halves. Slice into wedges. It's helpful to know how to segment citrus like a boss.

Remove the fronds from the fennel bulb and thinly slice the bulb. Chop several of the fronds, enough to fill 1/2 cup.

Toss bulgur with dressing, chicken, orange wedges, fennel bulb, fennel fronds, and green onion. Serve at room temperature or cold atop salad greens (if desired).

Fava bean, pickled fennel bulb, and goat cheese crostini

I am always pleasantly surprised when fava beans pop up at the farmers’ market each spring - not only because they’re even more delicious at the beginning of the season, but because it proves that California actually has seasons (go us!) 

“Alternatively, you can actually skip the entire process of shelling by roasting the whole pod with some olive oil and sea salt, and eat every bit of the beans and surrounding pod. This is also quite delicious, but a different, richer flavor with less of the springtime freshness in just the beans. ”

Fava beans are fresh, silky representations of springtime, but they can be a pain to process. Not only do most recipes call for removing the beans from the larger pod, but also for removing the beans from their thin surrounding shell. One of those tasks that’s fun at first, but increasingly painful as time moves on and pod after pod is processed. 

“You don’t know fava - or maybe you do?”

Fortunately, the favas at the beginning of the season are so tender that you don’t have to cook the beans after removing them from the shell and they’re still oh-so-tender, which is what is called for in this recipe.

• Fava beans, removed from pod and surrounding shells peeled away

• Pickled* or fresh, thinly sliced fennel bulb

• Lemon zest

• Cumin powder

• Olive oil

• Toasted, thinly sliced baguette

• Chèvre

• Good quality sea salt

Toss 2 parts fava beans with 1 part fennel and lemon zest, and cumin to taste. Drizzle in enough olive oil to make glossy, but not too oily. 

Spread chèvre on baguette slices, top with fava mixture, and sprinkle with sea salt.

* To Pickle Fennel:

1. Slice 1 fennel bulb into thin slivers and pack tightly into a pint jar.

2. Heat 1 cup white wine vinegar with 1/2 cup water, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon of sea salt, and herbs or spices of choosing (such as caraway and orange zest) and bring to a boil.

3. Allow brine to cool for 2 minutes, then pour into jar with fennel to cover completely. Cool to room temperature, seal with lid, and store in the refrigerator. Fennel can be eaten immediately and will keep well for up to 2 weeks.