Re: why fennel is actually useful

In the Peace Garden, our fennel plants are known as the "candy plants" by toddlers and interns alike. Tasting almost like black licorice in raw form, fennel stems, leaves, and bulbs can add a special sweetness and depth of flavor to many different soups and stews, as well as make wonderful garnishes or add-ins to chicken, tuna, or chickpea salads.

Their stems can be used as vessels for creamy things just like celery, so if you're only using the bulbs remember to save the stems for quick snacks! Cream cheese balances very well with fennel. The recipe below also utilizes turnip, mint, and chard, three types of produce we grow at Growing Gardens that have peaked the interest of but puzzled many visitors, CSA members and staff.

Moroccan Stew
Serves 6 as a main dish.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1 large jalapeño pepper, seeded if desired, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, more to taste
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne
2 tablespoons tomato paste, or ketchup 
1 fennel bulb, diced (save fronds for garnish)
1 very large bunch chard, stems sliced 1/2-inch thick, leaves torn into bite-size pieces
2 carrots, diced
1 large turnip, peeled and diced
2 cans chickpeas, or 1 pound dried chickpeas soaked overnight
water
⅓ cup diced dried apricots or golden raisins
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, or 2 tablespoons chopped preserved lemon, more to taste
½ cup chopped cilantro, more for garnish
 
Heat oil in a large pot over high heat. Add onion and jalapeño and sauté until limp, 3 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, salt, turmeric, paprika, cinnamon, cumin, black pepper and cayenne and sauté until they release their fragrance, about 2 minutes. Add tomato paste and sauté for another minute, until darkened but not burned. (If tomato paste looks too dark too quickly, lower heat.

Add fennel, chard stems, carrot and turnip and continue to sauté until vegetables start to soften, about 10 minutes. Add chickpeas and water to barely cover.

Return heat to high if you lowered it and bring to a simmer. Add more water if needed (this should be like a stew).

Add chard leaves, apricots and apple cider vinegar or preserved lemon to pot and continue simmering until chard is tender, about 5 minutes longer. Season with more salt if desired, and serve garnished with cilantro and reserved fennel fronds, or even sage flatbread.

*Lightly adapted from Melissa Clark's http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017228-moroccan-chickpeas-with-chard .

Fennel-Chickpea Salad

Ingredients:
1 can drained and rinsed chickpeas*
3 tablespoons dijon mustard
1/4 extra virgin olive oil
1/3 sliced fennel stems (or diced bulb) and fronds
lots of black pepper
1 teaspoon salt (less or more to taste)
splash of apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup diced red onion
1 tablespoon tumeric

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Adjust seasonings to taste.

*you can also replaced chickpeas with 2 1/2 cups cubed russet potatoes, baked whole at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes!