How to cook fennel: here are some simple ideas and recipes!

Excellent both raw and cooked, let’s see how to cook fennel. Versatile ingredient, they can be used in the kitchen for many dishes …

Fennel are a vegetable belonging to the family of the umbelliferae, known mostly for their purifying and digestive properties . Let’s see how to cook fennel to better enjoy this delicious vegetable. Here are some quick and easy recipes with fennel!

Properties of fennel and their benefits

Fennel, known mainly for its digestive properties, is also useful for keeping the entire gastrointestinal system in good condition as it avoids the formation of intestinal gas and in addition it contains anethole, a substance that acts on abdominal contractions. This vegetable is composed mostly of water, is rich in potassium, vitamin C, vitamin A and some of the B group, contains very few calories and is ideal for purifying the liver and blood.

The consumption of fennel is particularly suitable for women who are breastfeeding as it seems to facilitate the production of milk and make it more pleasant the taste.

Light and quick recipes with fennel

Excellent both raw and cooked, fennel are suitable for preparing many tasty and quick recipes from side dishes to first courses, without forgetting main courses and salads . To prepare first courses, fennel can be used to prepare risottos and soups . In the preparation of the latter, moreover, you can also use the outermost parts of the fennel and the tufts that are usually considered as waste. Fennel-based soups are excellent if enriched with potatoes, spices and aromatic herbs.

Given its draining properties, fennel can also be used in the preparation of fresh and thirst-quenching centrifuged . Drinks of this type are ideal for those who want to fill up on fruit and vegetables. A basic recipe is the centrifuged with fennel and green apple to be prepared with two fennel, lemon zest, a green apple and a liter of mineral water.

Cooking fennel in a pan: the perfect side dish

For a good side dish, however, the ideal is cooking in a pan and for this preparation you need:

• 2 fennel
• soy sauce (optional) to taste
• extra virgin olive oil to taste
• aromatic herbs to taste
• 1 clove of garlic

After washing the vegetables thoroughly, cut them into thin slices. Place a large pan on the stove and heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Add the core of the garlic clove, the aromatic herbs and the soy sauce.

Continue adding the fennel and sauté over high heat for a couple of minutes then lower the heat and continue cooking for another 10 minutes. If necessary, add a little water during cooking.

Another similar but even tastier recipe is the one that involves the addition of a sprinkling of grated cheese , perfect for an even tastier side dish.

Cooking the fennel au gratin in the oven

Baked fennel is one of the tastiest ways to cook this vegetable. For the recipe you will need:

• 2 fennel
• 200 g of bechamel
• 50 g of grated cheese
• 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs
• 30 g of butter
• Salt to taste
• nutmeg to taste

After having sautéed the fennel in a pan for 10 minutes, add them in a pan with melted butter.

Add the salt and nutmeg and cover everything with the bechamel and grated cheese. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs and cook the fennel in a preheated oven at 180 ° C for about 20 minutes . Once a golden crust has formed on the outside, they will be ready to serve!

storage

You can keep them in the fridge for about 2 days , tightly closed in a container or freeze them (provided that no ingredients were frozen from the start).