Braised Fennel
Fennel is an underrated vegetable that is delicious when braised. It takes on a sweet and rich flavor when cooked with aromatics, and makes a great side dish for almost any meal.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon dry anise seeds
- 3 large fennel bulbs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 2 star anise
- 2 tablespoons golden balsamic vinegar
- Reserved fennel fronds for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F
- Place a skillet over medium heat and toss the anise seeds in the dry skillet. Stir constantly for 60 to 90 seconds or until fragrant and toasted. Remove from the skillet, crush, and set aside for later.
- Cut the feathery leaves off the fennel bulbs and set them aside. Slice the fennel bulbs into quarters, leaving some of the core attached to keep the fennel from falling apart.
- Add the oil to a skillet set over medium heat. When the oil is hot, place the fennel quarters, cut side down. Cook the fennel quarters until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes. Flip the fennel over and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the heat, add the slices of garlic and allow to cook in the residual heat until fragrant, then transfer to a baking dish or oven-proof skillet.
- Sprinkle the surface of the fennel with the toasted fennel seeds, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the wine and chicken broth into the pan, around the edges, not directly on the fennel. Tuck the thyme sprigs and star anise into the liquid.
- Cover the dish with foil or a lid and transfer to the oven. Cook in the oven for 60 to 75 minutes or until the core of the fennel is tender.
- Remove from the oven, transfer to a serving dish, drizzle the balsamic vinegar over the fennel and garnish with the leftover fennel fronds.
Notes
- Brown the fennel quarters in batches so you don't crowd the pan. They will get a better char on them if you don't crowd them in the skillet.
- You can use a mandoline slicer for thin slices of garlic,
- If you don't want to add wine to the braising liquid, increase the chicken broth.
- White Modena vinegar (Trader Joe's) or rice vinegar can be substituted for the golden balsamic vinegar.
- Optional toppings: Grated Parmesan, preserved lemon slices, or finely sliced fresh basil.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 102kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 403mg | Potassium: 529mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 1mg
