Because while it may taste like anise and look like a bulb, it’s neither. And don’t let the grocery workers who love to label it that way tell you otherwise.
Fennel may taste like anise, and is a relative of it, but they are separate plants. And while the base of fennel is bulbous, that’s a shape, not its plant variety.
Fresh fennel resembles a cross between cabbage, celery and dill. The taste is assertively (though not unpleasantly) licorice and sweet. The base of the fennel is round with tightly overlapping pale-green leaves. Sprouting out of that are long celery stalks topped with fine frilly leaves.
Technically speaking, all parts of the plant are edible, but most people will find the stalks too tough and fibrous to eat. The leaves can be chopped and used to flavor salads, dressings, marinades and sauces. They tend to have a slightly more citrusy flavor than the base.
The base (or bulb) is delicious raw or cooked. The thick bottom and outer leaves usually are trimmed off, then the rest can be sliced or chopped.
Fennel is particularly popular in the cuisines of the Mediterranean, particularly Italy, where it has been grown since the 17th century.
• Because of its assertive flavor, fennel likes to be paired with something fatty. Try it raw in a salad with avocado and tomatoes and a lemon vinaigrette.
• The sweetness of fennel increases as it cooks. Try it braised in heavy cream with garlic and thinly sliced yellow onions and potatoes.
• Carefully cut the bulb into whole leaves, then serve topped with prosciutto or smoked salmon, cracked black pepper and a dollop of crème fraiche.
• Quarter several fennel bulbs, then toss with white wine, olive oil and minced garlic. Cover and roast until tender. Sprinkle with Parmesan before serving.
• Combine chopped fennel leaves with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper for a vinaigrette or marinade for chicken.
To hard-boil eggs, place them in a medium saucepan and add enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to maintain a bare simmer, cover and cook for 14 minutes. Start to finish: 15 minutes Servings: 3 ½ cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard Splash hot sauce Zest of ½ a lemon 1 teaspoon lemon juice Salt and ground black pepper 1 small red onion, finely diced ½ fennel bulb, trimmed and finely chopped 6 eggs, hard-boiled, cooled and peeled Lettuce or other greens 6 slices sandwich bread, lightly buttered and toasted Pinch smoked paprika
In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, hot sauce and lemon zest. Taste, then season with salt and pepper.
Mix in the red onion and fennel. Coarsely chop the eggs, then gently stir them in. The eggs should be thoroughly mixed, but not mashed.
Arrange a bed of greens over 3 slices of the bread, then divide the egg salad between them. Sprinkle each with smoked paprika before topping with the second slice of bread.
J.M. Hirsch is the national food editor for The Associated Press. He is the author of the recent cookbook High Flavor, Low Labor: Reinventing Weeknight Cooking . He also blogs at jmhirsch.
Fennel, also known as sweet anise, is most commonly served raw, usually sliced very thinly and tossed with a bright dressing as a salad or added to green salads for a bit of extra crunch and light anise flavor. Roasting this bright bulb softens its crunchy nature and turns it meltingly tender. It also brings out its inherent sweetness, dramatically softens its already gentle licorice flavor, and gives it nice browned, caramelized edges. Serve with roasted meats, roast chicken, stews, or other roasted vegetables.
The roasting technique used here can be applied to one bulb of fennel or 10. The only limits are the size of your oven and how many people you have to feed.
Technically speaking, all parts of the plant are edible, but most people will find the stalks too tough and fibrous to eat. The leaves can be chopped and used to flavor salads, dressings, marinades and sauces. They tend to have a slightly more citrusy flavor than the base.
To hard-boil eggs, place them in a medium saucepan and add enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to maintain a bare simmer, cover and cook for 14 minutes. Start to finish: 15 minutes Servings: 3 ½ cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard Splash hot sauce Zest of ½ a lemon 1 teaspoon lemon juice Salt and ground black pepper 1 small red onion, finely diced ½ fennel bulb, trimmed and finely chopped 6 eggs, hard-boiled, cooled and peeled Lettuce or other greens 6 slices sandwich bread, lightly buttered and toasted Pinch smoked paprika
Mix in the red onion and fennel. Coarsely chop the eggs, then gently stir them in. The eggs should be thoroughly mixed, but not mashed.
• Combine chopped fennel leaves with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper for a vinaigrette or marinade for chicken.
• The sweetness of fennel increases as it cooks. Try it braised in heavy cream with garlic and thinly sliced yellow onions and potatoes.
Tip Of The Day: Sweet Anise/Fennel
FAQ
How do you eat fresh anise?
Are anise and fennel the same?
How do you keep anise fresh?
What vegetable tastes like anise?
How do you use ground star anise?
To extract the most flavor, lightly toast whole star anise pods in a dry pan until fragrant before using them to infuse liquids. This process releases the spice’s essential oils, amplifying its aroma and taste. When using ground star anise, it’s often added directly to the recipe without toasting.
How do you grind star anise?
For ground star anise, you can use a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder. If your recipe calls for crushed star anise, gently break the pods with a mortar and pestle. Star anise is known for its aniseed flavor that works well with both sweet and savory dishes.
How to cook anise?
Anise can be prepared by grinding it into a powder or by leaving it whole. The next step is to cook the anise. Anise can be cooked by adding it to dishes during the cooking process or by adding it to dishes after they are cooked. One way to cook anise is to add it to dishes during the cooking process.
How much star anise do I need for a savory dish?
For most recipes, a single star anise pod is enough to flavor an entire dish serving 4-6 people. When using ground star anise, start with a pinch and adjust according to taste, as its flavor can be potent. Which spices combine well with star anise in savory dishes?