Fennel

About:  Fennel is commonly confused with anise, a plant of the parsley family. Both have a licorice taste, though fennel is much sweeter and more delicate than anise. Fennel is closely related to carrots, parsley, dill and coriander. Many people believe fennel enhances the taste of other foods- tuna tastes more "tuna-y" when cooked with fennel. The bulb, stalks, leaves, and seeds of fennel are all edible. The stalks are often eaten raw like celery sticks, the frilly leaves are used like dill, and the bulb can be cut, cooked, or eaten raw like onions.

Nutritional Information: Fennel is a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Folate, Potassium and Manganese. Read More

Storage: The fresher the fennel the stronger the flavor. Store fennel in the coolest part of the refrigerator in a bag. 

Tips: To prepare, cut the stalks off where they meet the bulb.  Cut the bottom off the bulb and then cut lengthwise in quarters or slice into thin slices. 

Recipes:  Zucchini Fennel Salad, Fennel Parmesan,  Roast Fennel Olive Tapenade,  Tomato Fennel Salad, Tomato Fennel Soup