At first the only thing I would do with it is slice it thin into a salad. (So good with Parmesan.) Then I discovered roasting it. With some balsamic? Yum. And then I found out how good it was in a tomato sauce with seafood. See a pattern developing? Yes, I am slowly becoming addicted to fennel. This braised fennel recipe is the latest incarnation of The Fennel Experiments, and I have a confession to make. I ate the whole batch. Yes, it serves 4. Normally. Yes, I could have saved some for my family. I didn’t! Ah well. What they don’t know won’t hurt them, right? Now that they have the recipe they can make their own. (I can just hear my dad now, “et tu, Brutus, et tu?” He can be a bit dramatic sometimes.) So, back to the braised fennel. It’s lovely. I recommend it as a side to lamb, fish, shellfish, or chicken. Make extra. Sprinkle the salt and sugar over the fennel (the sugar will help with caramelization). Check for browning, and cook for another minute or two if they’re not browned yet. Turn the fennel pieces over and brown the other side. Serve garnished with the rest of the zest and a few splashes of lemon juice. Braised Fennel and Tomato - from Sunday Suppers
