Fennel Salad - Insalata di Finocchi

In  a previous post I wrote about fennel (finocchio) being a powerhouse of nutrition and the many ways I use it.  Today, I like to share this inviting and rich salad made of fennel, potatoes and beans.  Insalata di Finocchio will make a great sidedish for the Thanksgiving table.

Insalata di Finocchi

All photos - Copyright - ©2011 - La Casa e Il Giardino – picasaweb

Ingredients

3 fennel bulbs
2 potatoes
1 cup cooked beans
Sprig of parsley
Few drops of Tabasco
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste


Clean the fennel and cut into wedges.  Cook in boiling water until tender and drain.  Peel potatoes, slice and cook them in boiling, salted water for a few minutes.  Drain and add to the fennel.  Add the beans, chopped parsley, olive oil and a drop or two of Tabasco.  Salt and pepper to taste.


Ladies -

Fennel contains flavonoids that balance hormone levels in females and help alleviate the symptoms of menopause by reducing the intensity and the frequency of hot flashes and sweats.

Artichokes and Fava Beans - Carciofi e Fave

 

Carciofi e fave is an ancient dish, spread a little in all parts of Italy, but my recipe is a typical dish of Abruzzo, which was prepared in late spring, when all the vegetables used were fresh and available. 

If the fresh fava beans are not available or too costly, I substitute frozen ones.

All photos - Copyright - ©2011 - La Casa e Il Giardino – picasaweb


Ingredients
1 lemon
6 baby artichokes
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon red liquid gold or red pepper flakes in oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, sliced
2 pounds fresh young fava beans, shelled or frozen
1/2 cup water
Salt and pepper

Directions

Squeeze the juice of half the lemon into a bowl of water. Trim the artichokes to the hearts.  Remove the choke, cut the artichokes into 1/4-inch thick slices, then toss the slices into the lemony water.

In a saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat and add the onion and garlic. Sweat the vegetables in the oil until they are soft and just golden brown. Add the fava beans and stir to mix well. Drain the artichoke slices then add to the pan with the favas.* Add the liquid gold or red peppers flakes in oil and mix well.  Add 1/2 cup water, cover and simmer gently. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Carciofi e Fave

* When using frozen fava beans, I cook them separately by boiling them in water until tender.  Drain and add to the cooked artichokes.  Mix well and cook for few more minutes.

You may also like Dandelions and Fava Beans - Cicoria e Fave

Fennel or Finocchio - It’s perfect for the autumn table.

All photos - Copyright - ©2011 - La Casa e Il Giardino – picasaweb

Fennel is a perennial plant (often cultivated as an annual) that grows wild throughout the Mediterranean and California.  The sweet bulb fennel we find in the produce section at the grocer is known as Florence fennel or finocchio in Italian. It's is a powerhouse food: every part is edible, from the common bulb to the stalk, foliage, seeds, and even pollen, which is harvested from the plant's yellow blossoms.

If you never tasted or cooked with fennel, now is the time to fall in love with it.

Fennel's subtle, anise flavor works just fine on its own, but does wonders when combined with other foods.  The stalks tend to be fibrous, like celery.   I add them to stocks, roasts and braises.

Chicken soup with fennel (brodo di gallina)

A simple salad of oranges, red onion and lemon vinaigrette has more zing with the addition of crunchy, raw fennel.

Blood orange and fennel salad
Insalata di arance sanguine e finocchio

A mixed seafood salad has more flavor when chopped fennel fronds are included in the ingredients.

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Seafood salad - Insalata di pesce

My sausages contain fennel seeds. The slightly sweet anise flavor of the seeds complements the hot spices in the sausages.

Home-made sausages

What would my porchetta taste like without the aroma of wild fennel powder?

My suggestion, if you passed fennel by in the produce section, take a second look.

Fennel and Blood Orange Salad

Insalata di Finocchio e Fagioli