I've got some ready, but what to do with it? Not that keen on fish, so does it have any other uses? :)
Fennel is good with many things other than fish. It's especially good with gammon or bacon, for example.
Personally, I think it's best to keep it simple when cooking fennel. Braise it with a little butter, or roast it with other vegetables in the oven, or steam it and serve with a cheese sauce. You can also incorporate it into a gratin, to eat as a veggie main course, or as an accompaniment.
We LOVE fennel. Have it with anything, great with roast chicken we have found!
Cut it into 4, saute till coloured in a little olive oil, simmer with stock (lid on) till cooked n stock nearly all gone......delish!
Slight variation - cut in half, butter & pepper, seal in foil & bake.
Another use is to quarter them and add them to lamb shanks marinading in some stock, red wine and star anise etc and then cook as normal.You can either remove them after cooking as they will have imparted their flavour and be a bit limp but I just blend them into the "gravy".
Or swap them for potatoes in a dauphinoise, it works very well.
They pickle well!
Not bad raw either
love fennel and often steam it, cut up small and mash into mashed potato - didn't grow much this year for some reason
Slice it thinly and pop in a shallow oven-proof dish, cover with white wine and dot with butter, cover with a piece of grease-proof paper and braise in a moderate oven until tender...... Mmmm!
You could try here - http://fooddownunder.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?q=fennel - or on the Beeb Food boards or my favourite recipe adapted from Prue Leith's cookery school Veggie cook book:-
Baked Fennel with Goat's Cheese 4 or more, depending
This quantity is for 4 as a vegetarian meal. It's also good with simply grilled pork, chicken or fish.
4 bulbs of fennel
30g butter
1 lemon, juice only
4 tbs water
6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
30g pine nuts
150g goats' cheese log
Heat the oven to 200C. Trim the fennel and cut through the middle into 2 and then cut each half again 2 or 3 times to make wedges. Place these in a shallow oven-proof dish. Sprinkle on the lemon juice and water and cook in the microwave for 10 minutes. Drain.
Slice the tomatoes and sprinkle over the fennel, followed by the pine nuts and crumbled goats' cheese. Drizzle with olive oil (from the tomatoes if you have some) and bake for 15 to 20 min-utes till the cheese is browned. Serve with crusty bread.