Fennel and Apple Salad with Smoked Salmon

Crisp, bright flavor makes this a terrific starter

It’s “shoulder season” in our part of the world. We’re still getting good-quality winter produce, and just starting to see spring favorites.

So this salad celebrates late-season fennel and apples. We mix them with celery and a lemony vinaigrette, then top it off with succulent smoked salmon.

It’s the beginning of a great company meal. And maybe a beautiful food friendship.

Fennel and Pear Salad

Garnish with blue cheese or Parmesan for an early springtime starter

We could be fancy and call this insalata di finocchio e pere. But it tastes just as good in English.

The subtle anise flavor of fennel plays well with the crisp sweetness of pears. Add a garnish of blue cheese (we favor Gorgonzola) or maybe Parmigiano Reggiano, and you’ve got a springtime starter that will awaken your taste buds from their long winter’s nap.

So yeah, we love finocchio (no Pinocchios).

Fennel, Orange, and Arugula Salad

Colorful and tasty, this salad makes an excellent winter starter

It’s peak citrus time in our part of the world. Fortunately, oranges fit in everywhere, right?

Especially salads. In this one, orange slices cavort with the anise-like flavor of fennel and the peppery goodness of arugula.

The result? A winter wonderplate.

Beet and Fennel Soup

A seductive hint of anise livens up this healthy starter

It’s autumn in our part of the world. Which means soup season! Time to ladle up this beet-and-fennel charmer.

The gorgeous color of beets and the anise undertones of fennel combine to make a perfect first course. This soup is full of flavor, but it’s not particularly caloric. So it will awaken your taste buds without filling you up.

You’ll even have room for dessert.

Pasta with Sardines and Fennel

This Variation on Sicilian-Style Pasta Sports a Tangy Tomato Sauce

When was the last time you used sardines in a dish?  For a lot of us, the answer may be “never.”

Sardines don’t get much respect in the US.  Which is too bad, because they’re inexpensive, abundant, and widely available (although most often in canned form).  But many people shy away from them because of their distinct “fishy” flavor.

If that’s you, don’t worry.  Sardines have been eaten in Mediterranean countries for thousands of years, so cooks there have figured out how to handle these little beauties.  No place is more Mediterranean than Sicily — and one of its signature dishes is pasta con le sarde (pasta with sardines).  In Sicily, cooks usually combine the pasta with fennel, raisins, and saffron, and these ingredients help mellow the flavor of the sardines.

March 19th (Tuesday) is Saint Joseph’s Day, a widely celebrated saint’s day around the world.  Many people consider St. Joseph to be the patron saint of Sicily (according to legend, prayers to St. Joseph helped prevent a famine there during the Middle Ages). Because St. Joseph’s Day falls during Lent, the festive foods are meatless.

What better way to celebrate one of Sicily’s special holidays than by making their signature (meatless) dish? You’ve heard the phrase (made memorable in Alka-Seltzer ads), “try it, you’ll like it.” When it comes to this dish, it’s true.

Fennel and Tomato Gratin

Olives Add Zing to this Provençal Dish

When I think about the flavors of Provence, I think of sweet tomatoes, fragrant herbs, and salty olives.  Oh, there are plenty of other Provençal foods, too.  But for me, these three ingredients conjure the essence of southeastern France.

Fennel is also popular in Provence.  That isn’t surprising, since it plays so nicely with tomatoes and olives.  And the longer you cook it, the sweeter and mellower it becomes.  So it’s a no brainer to combine all these ingredients in a gratin.  Topped with flavorful cheese, they make a great sidekick for roast or grilled meat, chicken, or seafood.

This flexible dish is ideal for busy schedules.  You can make it partially ahead.  Plus, it tastes equally good hot from the oven or cooled to room temperature, so no split-second timing is required.  

And the flavor?  Well, you’ll think you’re in the south of France.  Without having to buy a plane ticket.

Pasta with Shrimp and Fennel

A Piquant Tomato Sauce Adds Full Flavor

Lots of us eat more fish this time of year.  Some are still following New Year’s resolutions to eat healthier.  And what’s healthier than fish and seafood?  For others, Lent means fish or seafood every Friday at a minimum, so new recipes are always welcome.   And some of us just crave the taste. 

Shrimp is a favorite of most seafood lovers.  Almost everyone likes its briny tang.  But in much of the US, it’s still cold, so we’re also craving hearty dishes.  Like a big, warm plate of pasta — which just happens to pair wonderfully with shrimp.

So why not combine the two in a spicy tomato sauce?  Then add some fennel (a perfect winter veggie) for extra credit.  The result?  A welcoming cold-weather dish with flavor that won’t quit.

Shaved Fennel Salad

This Simple, Lemony Starter is Perfect for Cold Weather

Produce crops have been hit hard by a cold snap in California and Arizona.  Lettuces seem to be particularly affected.  Here in St. Louis, lettuce prices have increased by a good 50%.  So if you want a salad, maybe you should think outside the box (or the bin). 

Luckily, other salad-friendly veggies are available.  Like fennel, which reaches its peak in cold weather, and seems to be in good supply. 

Fennel has a subtle anise-like flavor that adapts well to a range of dishes.  For example, we recently featured it in our posts on Fennel Soup with Shrimp and Beans and Braised Fennel.

Though fennel is delicious when cooked, many people think it’s even better eaten raw. Dress it up with some extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice, and you’ve got a piquant salad that’s the perfect starter for a meal.

So forget about the lettuce shortage! When life hands you lemons, squeeze them and use the juice to dress this terrific salad.

Braised Fennel

This Easy, Make-Ahead Dish Delivers Fen-tastic Flavor                   

Every January, I’m eager to eat my vegetables.  After an extended holiday blowout — which always seems to begin around Halloween and continue through New Year’s Day — I’m ready to seek out food that’s lighter and healthier.  Time to cut down on the sweets, and begin eating cleaner.

Fennel fits the bill wonderfully:  It’s nutritious and low in calories, but it also offers flavor that won’t quit.  It’s often served raw in salads.  When cooked, though, it turns into another veggie entirely.  In fact, the flavor mellows and becomes almost sweet. 

As noted last week in our post on Fennel Soup with Shrimp and Beans, fennel can be the star of the show. But it also makes an excellent side dish. Braised fennel is a perfect accompaniment to roast pork or poultry, and it pairs well with almost any fish you can imagine. And although it’s terrific hot from the oven, it’s just as good — maybe even better! — when served at room temperature. So it’s a perfect make-ahead dish for a big dinner.

Everyone at your table (kids included) will lap this up. Don’t you love January?

Fennel Soup with Shrimp and Beans

Serve this Hearty Soup as a Starter or a Main Course

You’ve probably seen fennel in the produce department at your local supermarket.  It’s a bulbous plant with stalks maybe a foot long, and topped with feathery green foliage.  Here in the US, not many cooks use it.  Too bad, because fennel has a great, distinctive flavor that combines well with other ingredients.

If fennel is new to you — or you haven’t used it for a while — why not try some in this terrific soup?  January is the time of the year when many of us determine to eat healthier, and there’s nothing healthier than eating your veggies.  And the more veggies you know how to use, the more likely you are to eat them.

That’s logic, isn’t it?