What are some interesting ways to use fennel?

Very thinly sliced (best if you have a mandolin for almost translucent slices) it is wonderful in a summer salad with greens, cut up cooked asparagus, sliced pecorino cheese and a light vinaigrette. I order this at our local lunch counter in high summer.

It also works beautifully, if you’re a fish eater, with sautéed Dover sole or flounder.

I also eat it, like an apple, raw and out of hand.

Fennel is wonderful in a slaw, fronds and all, with carrots and a fennel seed and toasted cumin seed vinaigrette. Also good grilled, either directly over hear or wrapped in foil with garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. I also dig it boiled and mashed with potatoes. Or a fennel/bacon risotto…

PS – fennel cream soup would be terrific.

I haven’t worked much with fennel, but in researching this Q, I came up with a few ideas. I hope you like them.

Fennel Chips

Cream of Fennel Soup

Baked Fennel with Parmesan

Shaved Fennel Salad with Parsley and Chives

Shaved Fennel and Pistachio Salad

Crispy Cream Braised Potatoes and Fennel

Fennel and Broccoli Stir Fry (Note that the chef describes herself as a food enthusiast, rather than a foodie! I thought I made up that term, we must be kindred spirits).

Grilled Fennel and Watermelon Salad

@Adirondackwannabe: How did you plant it? I like the idea of having it naturalize the area. And I bet that the deer won’t eat it because of the licorice aroma.

I did it in a raised bed. I do beds so they can weed for me.

Do you start by poking seeds in the dirt or do you buy small starter plants? I love planting seeds but want good odds that they will turn into edible plants before the end of the growing season.

I planted seeds. Because it’s in a raised bed I can plant early, so the plants mature in plenty of time. I can harvest anytime now.

To use stalks, cut them to fit in a 9×13 pan. Season whitefish with salt, white pepper, and coriander and place over fennel. Add thin slices of lemon and ¼ cup water. Cover with foil and bake at 350 25–30 minutes until fish is opaque and flaky. You don’t eat the fennel, but it flavors the fish.