Fennel is totally underrated, and I’m hoping some of our fennel recipes on Inspired Taste are helping to change that! Fennel is naturally sweet and has a mild licorice flavor. In this braised fennel recipe, we lean into the licorice flavor and add fresh orange. It’s so good! I know some home cooks find fennel a bit intimidating, but I’m here to say that if you’ve never cooked with it before, it’s a delicious and super versatile vegetable! For more ways to use fennel, see our apple salad with fennel, shaved fennel salad, and this white wine seafood stew.
Key Ingredients
Fennel: Look for mostly white bulbs with some pale green markings. Avoid bulbs that are yellowing or have brown spots. It should also be firm and feel heavy for its size. In this recipe, we will braise the fennel bulb (the bottom part). You do not need the stalks, although you can always save them for homemade stock another day! Orange: Fennel and orange are a classic combination, so we use the zest and juice of half an orange for this recipe. If you do not have fresh oranges, you can use orange juice. Stock: Braising means we will cook the fennel in liquid. Some of that liquid will be orange juice, and the rest is stock or broth. Chicken stock or veggie broth are both great.
How to Make Braised Fennel
Braising fennel is super simple. It becomes slightly sweet and very tender. Start by prepping the fennel bulbs. After removing the stalks, cut the fennel bulb in half lengthwise. Make two angled cuts in the center of the bulb to remove the core—even with braising, the core can be a bit tough. Finally, slice each half into wedges. To braise the fennel, we brown it on both sides in a bit of olive oil. Then, we add the zest and juice of half an orange and stock. Cover the pot, and 8 minutes later, it is done. 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium orange 3/4 cup chicken stock, vegetable broth, or water Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste 2Slice fennel in half lengthwise. Make two angled cuts to remove the tough core. Then, cut the halves into 1/2-inch thick wedges. Season both sides with salt and pepper. 3Use a microplane zester to zest about half of the orange. 4Heat olive oil in a medium pot with a lid over medium-high heat. Add fennel wedges and brown on both sides, about 2 minutes on each side. 5Reduce heat to low, add orange zest, the juice of half an orange, and stock, and cook, covered, until fennel is tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve with a few reserved fennel fronds sprinkled on top.
