Braised Fennel Provencal

Fennel with Feta & Pears

Iced Fennel Soup

Lobster & Fennel Salad

Roast Vegetable Salad

Makes 4 servings

• 3 bulbs fennel
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 lb plum tomatoes, peeled, diced
• 2/3 cup dry white wine
• 12 nicoise olives
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 pinch sugar
• salt
• pepper
• thyme sprig, to garnish

Cut fennel bulbs lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices. In a large skillet, heat oil. Add fennel slices and garlic. Cook 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until golden. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add tomatoes and wine to pan and boil rapidly 5 minutes. Stir in olives, herbs and sugar. Arrange fennel slices over tomatoes, in a single layer, if possible. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot or at room temperature, garnished with thyme.

Makes 4 servings.

• 2 bulbs fennel
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 oz vegetarian feta cheese
• 1 ripe pear
• 4 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained, sliced
• 1/4 cup pitted black olives
• few basil leaves
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• salt
• pepper

Preheat broiler. Trim fennel, discarding any damaged outer leaves. Cut each bulb, lengthwise, into 6 thin slices. Brush each fennel piece with a little olive oil. Place on a baking sheet. Broil 2 to 3 minutes or until browned. Turn fennel, brush with oil and broil 2 to 3 minutes until charred and just tender. Cool slightly.

With a sharp knife, slice feta cheese into thin slabs. Quarter, core and thinly slice pear. Arrange fennel, cheese and pear on serving plates. Top with the tomatoes, olives and basil.

In a small bowl, blend remaining oil, lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper together. Drizzle over salad and serve.

Makes 6 servings

• 2 bulbs (medium-size) fennel (1 lb/ 500 g)
• 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste

Remove green feathery leaves from fennel and reserve. Coarsely chop bulbs. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add fennel and onion. Cover and simmer 10 minutes.

Add stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes or until fennel is tender.

Reserve several chopped fennel pieces for garnish.

In a food processor fitted with a metal blade or a blender, process soup to a puree. Cool, then whisk in sour cream. Season with salt and pepper. Chill and check seasoning again before serving.

Garnish soup with reserved fennel pieces.

Makes 4 servings.

• 2 1/2 cups pasta shells
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt
• black pepper to taste
• 6 oz French green beans, cut in 1 1/2-inch lengths
• 1 red bell pepper, cut in 1 1/2-inch lengths
• 1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced
• 3 small lobsters, cooked
• 5 teaspoons snipped chives

Mayonnaise :

• 2 egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• about 1 1/4 cups olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Anisette or Pernod

To Garnish :

• a few chives

Cook pasta shells in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and put in a salad bowl. Add 1 tablespoon oil, salt and pepper and toss well. Cool.

Prepare mayonnaise in usual way, adding Anisette or Pernod once oil has been incorporated into egg yolks. Check seasoning.

Blanch green beans, then refresh under cold water to set color. Drain and place on top of pasta shells. Season lightly. Arrange bell pepper over green beans; season lightly. Top with fennel slices; season lightly.

Remove lobster meat from shells and shred; set claws aside. Add lobster meat to salad and sprinkle with chopped chives. Garnish with lobster claws and chives. Serve with mayonnaise.

Note: Anise-flavored mayonnaise goes equally well with crab and crayfish, and is a more interesting sauce to serve with shellfish than a simple vinaigrette or mayonnaise.

Makes 6 serving

• 1 large eggplant
• 4 zucchini
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 2 red bell peppers
• 2 bulbs (small) fennel
• 12 cherry tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 teaspoons pesto
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• freshly ground pepper
• basil sprigs, to garnish

Preheat oven to 400F (205C). Slice eggplant and cut into chunks. Cut zucchini into chunks.

Quarter bell peppers and remove cores and seeds. Trim fennel and cut lengthwise into quarters. Cut a cross in the bottom of each tomato. In a bowl, mix together garlic, pesto and olive oil. Arrange vegetables in a large, heavy roasting pan. Add pesto mixture and toss vegetables to coat. Sprinkle with sea salt.

Roast for 45 minutes, or until vegetables are browned and tender. Drizzle with lemon juice and season with black pepper. Leave in pan until tepid or cold. Garnish with basil sprigs and serve.

• 6 cloves garlic (large), unpeeled
• 2 cups virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 14 oz mozzarella cheese
• 2 dried red chilies
• 2 strips lemon rind
• 1 sprig rosemary, bruised
• 1 thyme sprig, bruised
• 1 oz ripe or green olives
• nectarine slices, to garnish
• mint sprigs, to garnish

Places the cloves of garlic In a pan of cold water and simmer 15 minutes. Drain well and pat dry.

In a small skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Add garlic. Cook 8 to 10 minutes or until golden and softened. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. In a heavy skillet, dry-fry spice seeds and peppercorns 1 to 2 minutes or until browned; cool.

Cut mozzarella cheese into bite-size pieces. In a large jar, layer cheese with garlic, fried spices, chilies, lemon rind, herbs and olives. Add enough oil to cover. Seal jar. Marinate several days in a cool place, but not the refrigerator, to allow time for flavors to develop. Serve cheese and garlic cloves with a slice of fresh bread, garnished with nectarine slices and mint sprigs.

Fennel