Tuesday, June 14, 2011

'tis the season for Fennel!

I don't know why I love fennel, but I do.  It's just one of those mysterious veg that I adore the taste of and love to incorporate into meals.  I'm not an aniseed flavour fan but I love that when you roast fennel it gets sweetness & depth, and when it's raw in salads it's really zesty and picquant & completely different.

I had a couple of fennel bulbs in my fridge, waiting for the perfect moment, the perfect recipe discovery, and I finally found it.  And it ROCKED!   I stole the recipe off of Roarfood and am over the moon I discovered this dressing, it is one of the most unctious, delicious creations I've ever tasted!  And yes, it goes perfectly over thinly sliced raw fennel bulb.

Dressing:  1 tbsp tahini, juice & rind of 1/2 a lemon, 1 tsp agave, 1/4 cup of olive oil, dozen leaves of basil (blitz in blender or food processor).  And ...... ta da!



It's a fantastic way to get a massive dose of Vit C and potassium for this Winter Season.  And did I mention how delectable it tastes?  I had this for lunch one day and cannot rave enough about the feeling of wellness afterwards, and how much it perked me up.  You must try it.

The other way I am getting use out of the fennel plant is with it's seeds.  A girlfriend told me about it's magical use at settling sick tummies when I was feeling particularly seedy one morning.  I put 8 - 10 of the seeds in my tea infuser, covered it in boiling water and then added a slice of lemon. 



Some people may not find the flavour very pleasant, but I quite enjoy it and it really does work.  Unfortunately, i have been putting it into practice a little too often lately ...... me bad.

So, get a little adventurous, make the most of the season and enjoy  a little fennel!

2 comments:

  1. Have made the hommus with sesame seeds instead of tahini - brilliant! I'll have to try substituting in this recipe, too.

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  2. I have made hommous with Adzuki beans instead of chick peas too - not bad. What do you need to substitute in this?

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