Fennel, with its crisp texture and subtle licorice flavor, may not always take center stage, but it’s the perfect ingredient to elevate your dishes. Whether you’re adding a fresh crunch to your soups, creating crispy potato cakes, or crafting hearty casseroles, fennel’s unique flavor and versatility shine through. In this collection of recipes, we explore the many ways fennel can enhance your meals—from comforting soups to flavorful sides. Get ready to enjoy the perfect balance of savory, creamy, and tangy flavors that will leave your taste buds wanting more.
Creamy Fennel, Biltong, and Goat’s Cheese Soup
Fennel’s distinctive crunch and subtle sweetness make it the perfect addition to many dishes. This creamy soup blends these flavors with rich biltong and tangy goat’s cheese, creating a comforting bowl of warmth ideal for those chilly winter days. Serves 4 | Easy | 1 hour 15 minutes
Croutons:
- 60g mini baguette, sliced (approx. 16 slices)
- 20ml (4 tsp) olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Soup:
- 5g butter
- 180g (approx. 4) small leeks, finely sliced
- 15ml (1 tbsp) garlic, peeled and crushed
- 360g fennel, chopped
- 370g (approx. 2) medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1L (4 cups) chicken stock
- 15ml (1 tbsp) Dijon mustard
- 250ml (1 cup) fresh cream
- 2 x 100g goat’s cheese logs
- 35g powdered biltong
- Handful of finely sliced biltong to serve
- Fresh microherbs to garnish
Instructions:
- For the croutons: Preheat the oven to 180°C. Toss the sliced baguette with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place on a baking tray and bake for 4-5 minutes, until golden and crisp.
- For the soup: In a large pot over low heat, melt the butter and sauté the leeks, garlic, and fennel for 10 minutes, ensuring they don’t brown too much. Add the potatoes and stock, cover, and simmer for 45-50 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
- Stir in the Dijon mustard, fresh cream, and one log of goat’s cheese. Blend until smooth using a stick blender or food processor. Mix in the powdered biltong and season to taste.
- To serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and top with sliced biltong, crumbled goat’s cheese, croutons, and fresh microherbs.
Cook’s Tips:
- To keep the soup vibrant and prevent it from browning, always cook over low heat.
- If you don’t enjoy goat’s cheese, try swapping it for cream cheese or Danish feta.
Mini Fried Potato and Fennel Cakes with Creamy Horseradish and Lemon Dip
These bite-sized cakes are crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, with a delightful fennel flavor. Paired with a tangy horseradish and lemon dip, they make the perfect appetizer or snack. Makes 24 | Easy | 1 hour
Potato and Fennel Cakes:
- 580g (approx. 2) large potatoes, peeled and diced
- 10g butter
- 160g fennel, finely chopped
- 5ml (1 tsp) garlic, peeled and crushed
- 60g (approx. half) red onion, finely chopped
- 15ml (1 tbsp) fennel powder (or finely ground fennel seeds)
- 5ml (1 tsp) whole grain mustard
- 15ml (1 tbsp) sweet chili sauce
- 45g (3 tbsp) cake flour
- 60ml (¼ cup) fresh coriander, finely chopped
- 15ml (1 tbsp) chives, finely chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Oil for deep-frying
Horseradish and Lemon Dip:
- 175g plain yogurt
- 80ml (⅓ cup) crème fraîche
- 5ml (1 tbsp) creamed horseradish
- 5ml lemon zest
- 15ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Sea salt flakes, to garnish
- 8 lemon wedges, to serve (optional)
Instructions:
- For the potato and fennel cakes: Place the potatoes in a pot of salted cold water, bring to a boil, and cook for 15-20 minutes until tender. Drain, return the potatoes to the pot, and cook for another 2 minutes to remove excess moisture. Mash until smooth.
- Heat the butter in a pan over medium heat, add fennel and garlic, and sauté for 10 minutes until tender. Add the fennel mixture to the mashed potatoes along with the onion, fennel powder, mustard, sweet chili sauce, flour, coriander, and chives. Season with salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.
- Heat oil in a deep fryer or deep pot to 180°C. Shape the potato mixture into 24 small patties. Deep-fry until golden and crisp, about 2-3 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
- For the dip: Mix all dip ingredients in a medium bowl, season to taste, and serve with the cakes and lemon wedges on the side. Garnish with sea salt flakes.
Sausage, Fennel, Beer, and Barley Casserole
This hearty, one-pot casserole combines savory sausages, fennel, and barley with a rich beer broth, perfect for a satisfying meal. Serves 4 | Easy | 1 hour
Flavor Combinations:
- 10ml (2 tsp) olive oil
- 8 pork sausages
- 200g bacon, diced
- 1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 240g fennel, thinly sliced
- 15ml (1 tbsp) garlic, peeled and crushed
- 2.5ml (½ tsp) chili flakes
- 15ml (1 tbsp) ground cumin
- 15ml (1 tbsp) smoked paprika
- 5ml (1 tsp) ground coriander
- 30ml (2 tbsp) tomato paste
- 5ml (1 tsp) sugar
- 330ml beer
- 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
- 190g pearl barley
- Salt and ground pepper, to taste
- 125ml (½ cup) crème fraîche to serve
- Handful fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped, to serve
Instructions:
- In a large pot over medium heat, heat olive oil and brown the sausages for 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Add the bacon, onion, fennel, and garlic to the same pot and sauté for 5 minutes. Stir in the chili flakes, cumin, paprika, coriander, tomato paste, and sugar, and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Pour in the beer, chopped tomatoes, and barley, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes until the barley is tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with a dollop of crème fraîche and a sprinkle of fresh coriander.
Roasted Baby Fennel with Orange, Mustard, and Basil
A quick and flavorful side dish that pairs perfectly with a variety of mains. Serves 4 | Easy | 45 minutes
Flavor Combinations:
- 4 baby fennel bulbs, halved
- 30ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
- 15ml (1 tbsp) orange juice
- 10ml (2 tsp) Dijon mustard
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 200°C. In a large bowl, toss the fennel with olive oil, orange juice, mustard, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
- Transfer the fennel to a baking tray and roast for 25 minutes until tender.
- Serve warm, garnished with fresh basil leaves.
Cook’s Tip: Chicken or beef sausages can be swapped for pork sausages, adjusting the cooking time based on the thickness of the sausages.
Article from the June 2015 issue of Food and Home Entertaining Magazine…
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