Fennel waste

[Jenise]

I went to buy fennel yesterday at the best and freshest source in town, $4/lb, and was greatly annoyed at the extreme amount of foliage on each bulb. Easily a foot length and width of branches fanning out from the bulb, so much so that four of them wouldn't fit in my bag. 5" or so is reasonable and usual, but this amount for what were only medium sized bulbs was disproportionate and added a good 25% to the cost of an already expensive item. And I'm even more irritated today because I probably should have bought 5 or 6 bulbs but my dismay over what I was going to spend on waste made me conservative in my choice.

That said, a really wonderful pasta dish that I had at a Chris Cosentino restaurant in San Francisco years ago featured a lightly tomato based ragu of smoked pork and fennel--the parts you usually throw away! Other than that, or decor with the frond, I've never had any use for those parts.

Does anyone else use them?

Do you mean the stalks or the fronds (dilly stuff)?

[Jenise]

Both. The fronds make nice garnish but the stalks have never had any use to me except what I described, or to throw a few in something like the duck stock I've got on the stove right now. But still, way out of proportion to what these were burdened with at purchase.

I almost never throw the stalks and fronds away but I am annoyed when they are substantial relative to the bulb and selling by the pound. A local store sells by the bulb and Trader Joe's in DC and Milwaukee have 2 bulb packs for under $4.00.
I will start a soffritto with diced fennel stocks and add onion later. They take longer to soften. The flavor remains delicate and is great for a risotto using a lot. If you want more intense flavor a Pernod flaming will do the trick. I do this for braised chicken thighs.
Another great use is in the base for a spicy tomato mixed seafood soup or fish filet braise along with capers, anchovies, oil cured black olives, lemon zest. I use the fronds as finishing for these dishes and in deviled eggs. Finally fennel trimmings are great with leeks and in any soup prep. Just be careful to finely mince or you will encounter strings unless you use a chinois or Vitamix.
I probably have others but these pop into my head right away

We use the stalks in every way that we might use celery. Just make sure to slice thinly.

The fronds are worthless. Chuck 'em.

The fronds are worthless. Chuck 'em.

??!! They function much like an herb for me. Chopped and added to dishes. Unless the particular specimen is looking a big raggedy around the edges, which does sometimes happen.

The fronds are worthless. Chuck 'em.

??!! They function much like an herb for me. Chopped and added to dishes. Unless the particular specimen is looking a big raggedy around the edges, which does sometimes happen.

I know, I know. But... y'know... I've tried them. I've used them. They don't taste right to me, just kinda weedy and dank. They certainly don't taste like dill, which is what they make me think of. They chew funny, too. Meh.

I'm a big fan of fennel bulbs and stalks. We use them instead of onions so I've chopped a lot of fennel in 25 years.

I know, I know. But... y'know... I've tried them. I've used them. They don't taste right to me, just kinda weedy and dank. They certainly don't taste like dill, which is what they make me think of. They chew funny, too. Meh..

Yes, I don't always use them and almost never in dishes where the herbs are a delicate last minute addition. But for something where I'm looking for bulkier notes - maybe cooked beans - they can work well and contribute to avoiding waste. That said, I don't obsess and often throw them out. Same thing for carrot tops, depends very much on condition.

[Jenise]

The fronds are worthless. Chuck 'em.

??!! They function much like an herb for me. Chopped and added to dishes. Unless the particular specimen is looking a big raggedy around the edges, which does sometimes happen.

Same here. I'm making the salad course for a wine lunch today in which shaved fennel is going to be the primary ingredient. I saved the best of the fronds for it. They're quite beautiful.

I like shaved fennel. I recently made Ye Olde shaved fennel and orange salad; so good.

Another prep that was amazing was served at French Laundry: a fennel chip (=> think 'potato chip' made from a thin slice out of the middle of a fennel bulb).

[Jenise]

I like shaved fennel. I recently made Ye Olde shaved fennel and orange salad; so good.

Another prep that was amazing was served at French Laundry: a fennel chip (=> think 'potato chip' made from a thin slice out of the middle of a fennel bulb).

The first fennel salad I ever had wasn't shaved per se; it was just thinly sliced and should/could have been thinner. But it was so good! We were in a restaurant in Half Moon Bay, and the other ingredients were, besides orange segments, chopped Nicoise olives and slivered green beans. That in fact was the inspiration for the salad I made for this lunch. Did not add fruit, just used used meyer lemons for the acid I applied to the shaved fennel a few hours earlier to soften them. Other ingredients were chopped raw walnuts (for the tannins), Nicoise olives (for the salty contrast) and watercress for color contrast and bite. Worked well with red wines.

I love the idea of that chip. Deep-fried or dehydrated?

Another prep that was amazing was served at French Laundry: a fennel chip (=> think 'potato chip' made from a thin slice out of the middle of a fennel bulb).

I love the idea of that chip. Deep-fried or dehydrated?

Fried. And it was so beautiful... I imagine they can only get a handful of chips per bulb.

I make fennel salad with either shaved or grated fennel and love it. Yes, use the 'leaves' in it (and I like fresh thyme leaves as well).

I have found that it has an affinity for walnuts and walnut oil, and to vary the taste and texture a tad I sometimes mix coarsely grated celeriac in as well, and occasionally coarsely grated apple.

I think that both Jenise and I have made good use of this sort of salad as a side in our terrine events (which WILL return this summer!)

The return of your summer Terrine Event. Now that's a wonderful thought !! Participating vicariously via photos and commentary it is something that I look forward to as well.

We shall strive to be vicariously entertaining, Christina! That shouldn't be too hard as we are out of practice. I think that Jenise and I have been treading water just doing the odd terrine to keep our hands in.

[Jenise]

Bill, the terrine event is usually barely over when I've already decided what I'll do the following year. But right now I don't have a clue. That part of my brain atrophied during the pandemic.

Back to fennel: on deck tonight, spicy smoked pork and fennel ragu, using up the stalks.