Fennel Seeds

Fennel Seeds (saunf)

Benefits:

Fennel seeds may reduce appetite, yet current study results are conflicting. Thus, more research is needed.

Fennel and its seeds contain fiber, potassium, magnesium, and calcium — all of which are essential for good heart health.

Test-tube and animal studies have shown that fennel may have anticancer properties. However, it’s uncertain whether the same effects would be seen in humans.

Some studies suggest that fennel may increase milk secretion and weight gain in breastfeeding infants, yet other studies have shown no benefit.

Fennel has antibacterial properties and may improve mental health, relieve menopausal symptoms, and reduce inflammation. Still, it’s unlikely that fennel or its seeds would offer the same effects when eaten in small amounts.

How to grow?

Fennel is a short lived perennial that blooms best in the second year. It readily re-seeds and while not considered invasive, it has certainly earned its reputation for aggressive growing. Fennel can be cut back early in the season to encourage bushier growth and should be deadheaded for seed harvest and to prevent over seeding of new plants. Harvest and dry seeds as the flower heads fade. There’s only one restriction to how to grow fennel: don’t plant it near dill. Cross pollination results in strangely flavored seeds for both plants! Once established, fennel herb doesn’t need much care. It prefers acid soil, appreciates the occasional dose of mild fertilizer and a little additional water if the weather is hot and dry.

Recipes:

Fennel and coriander crusted salmon

Ingredients:

Salad:

fennel bulb, very finely sliced

2 cups

grapefruit segments, peeled and seeded

1 cup

shallots very finely sliced

2 tbsp

lime, juiced

1/2

honey

1 tsp

extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp

salt and pepper

to taste

fennel seeds

sprinkle with Salmon:

fennel seeds

2 tsp

coriander seeds

2 tsp

sea salt

1/2 tsp

freshly cracked pepper

1/2 tsp

salmon, fresh/thawed

2 filets

extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for skillet

2 tsp

Method:

For the Salad:

Add sliced fennel bulb, grapefruit segments, and shallots to a bowl.

Whisk together lime juice, honey, and olive oil.

Pour lime juice mixture over fennel bulb mixture and toss to combine. Season with salt and fresh pepper according to taste preferences. Sprinkle sparingly with fennel seeds, and serve alongside salmon.

For the Salmon:

First, toast the seeds: Place fennel seeds and coriander seeds in a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Toast, stirring frequently until seeds are fragrant and golden brown at the edges, about 3 minutes.

Then, grind the seeds: Place toasted fennel and coriander seeds in a pestle and mortar or spice grinder, along with sea salt and pepper. Process until a coarse spice blend is achieved. Pour this mixture onto a plate and spread it in a relatively even layer.

Next, prepare the salmon filets: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Drizzle about a teaspoon of olive oil over each filet, and then dredge the top of each filet in the spice mixture. Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a non-stick oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, and wait until it is hot enough that a flick of water sizzles upon contact. Once heated, place salmon filets, spice-dredged side down onto the skillet and sear for about 2 minutes, until a golden brown crust forms. Then, transfer the skillet to the preheated oven, and cook for an additional 6-8 minutes. Salmon is done when it has lost its translucency and flakes easily with a fork.

Plate the salmon filets with the fennel citrus salad, drizzle with additional olive oil, and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Serve, and enjoy.

Savoy cabbage with shallots & fennel seeds

Ingredients:

300g pack small shallots

2 tbsp olive oil

2 large garlic cloves, sliced

1 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed

1 Savoy cabbage (outer leaves discarded) quartered, cored and shredded

150ml hot vegetable stock

Method:

Boil the shallots in their skins for 10-15 mins until they are soft but still hold their shape. Leave to cool then slip the skins from the shallots and halve them. Can be prepared a couple of days in advance, then chilled.
Heat the oil in a large non-stick wok, and stir-fry the garlic, fennel seeds and shallots for a couple of mins until the shallots are golden. Remove from the pan.
Add the cabbage to the pan and stir-fry until it starts to wilt a little, then pour in the stock, cover the wok and cook for 3 mins until just tender. Test to see if the cabbage is done to your liking; if not, cook a little longer, then add the shallot mixture, heat through and serve.

Roast chicken with fennel seeds and rosemary

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

2 clove garlic, peeled and crushed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 size 14 free-range corn-fed chicken

2 stems rosemary

1/2 lemon

1/2 cup white wine

2 cup light chicken stock

Method:

Preheat oven to 190°C fan forced. Mix together fennel seeds, garlic, salt and extra virgin olive oil.
Rinse chicken inside and out, removing any fat from inside cavity. Pat dry with paper towels. Put rosemary stems inside cavity. Slip finger between the skin and breast meat, and slip in garlic and fennel oil. Massage it along the breasts. Squeeze lemon all over chicken skin, rubbing lemon on skin, then put squeezed lemon half in cavity with the rosemary. Tie chicken with string and season it with salt and pepper, then transfer to an ovenproof dish.
Pour around the wine and cover dish with a lid (failing a lid. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove from oven, baste and pour ½ cup stock around chicken. Cover again, return to oven and cook for 15 minutes more.
Remove chicken from oven, remove lid, tilt chicken to let juices run from cavity, then baste chicken well. Return it to the oven, uncovered, and baste every 10 minutes, adding more stock as it evaporates.
Cook for about 30 minutes more (1¼-1½ hours in total), or until juices run clear when a skewer is inserted in the thickest meatiest part of the thigh. Baste again, then let the chicken sit in the dish for at least 10 minutes, but up to 30 minutes or so, to absorb juices, plump and soften. The chicken will be at its peak 25-35 minutes after coming out of the oven.
Transfer chicken to a board. Tilt roasting dish and scoop off fat. Bubble up juices, adding a little more stock if needed. Carve chicken and arrange on a plate, then spoon over pan juices.

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