Greetings!
First, I must admit: I cannot eat raw Fennel!
I cannot stand the smell and taste; I am not a big fan of Anise flavor and raw Fennel is just not my thing, thus for many years I avoided this funny looking vegetable. But just like with many other things that I was sure that “I do not like!” I gave Fennel a chance, but in a different way: roasted!
Hands up, baby hands up…
Oh the joy! Roasted Fennel tastes nothing like a raw one! Combined with the right spices you get a perfect side veggie that goes with almost everything!
Ingredients for my basic roasted Fennel:
- 1-3 Fennels [2 fennels are perfect for 4 people]
- 1-2 spoons of olive oil
- Spices: salt & pepper, turmeric, smoked paprika, garlic powder – teaspoon of each
Indian dish – curry powder, cardamom, mustard seeds
Chinese dish – Chinese 5 spices powder, fresh ginger, soy sauce
Moroccan dish – smoked paprika or Ras El Hanout (in Arabic it means “head of th
e shop”, a wonderful mixture of cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, pepper and turmeric)
Middle Eastern – use Za’atar, smoked paprika, raw tahini
Indonesian dish – use the magical Indonesian ingredient: Gado-gado peanuts mix (I will dedicate a separate post for Gado-gado soon)
Italian dish – oregano, thyme, basil, rosemary
Japanese dish – miso, soy sauce
Directions:
- Pre-heat oven: 200 c / 400 f
- Wash Fennel
- Remove Fennel head
- Cut Fennel
- Put Fennel in a plastic bag
- Add olive oil
- Add spices/herbs
- Shake bag well
- Spread on a baking sheet
- Bake for30 minutes / until golden brown and soft
Enjoy!
