The Union County Farmers Market is in full swing with more produce coming in each week. We would like to introduce you to some of our more unusual, interesting offerings. Let’s get started with fennel as it has just arrived at the market.

Fresh fennel is a beautiful plant! Delicate wispy fronds gracing the top with stalks leading down to a large, pale green to white bulb.

But what am I supposed to do with fennel?!?!

Fennel is delicious and used in a lot of Mediterranean, Italian and French cooking. All parts are edible and have a fresh, bright taste that is reminiscent of anise or licorice. Raw, it is cool and crunchy; when cooked, it becomes mellow and softens.

Fronds: there are always so many!! They have a delicate flavor and may be used as a garnish for soups, stews, fish, chicken, salads and pastas. Add them to your omelets and eggs. They may be used as a bed for roasted chicken and fish and other meats or even in a foil packet for steaming fish. They can even be used to flavor oils or …. Use them as a filler in your flower arrangements!

Stalks: use them as you would the bulb (slice thinly!) or try them as a bed for roasting other meats and vegetables!

Bulb: use it in salads, but be sure to slice it very thin! It can be added to salad or stand-alone – even as a slaw! Try it roasted, grilled or braised until tender… caramelized with onions or turned into a soup or a gratin…I love a pasta dish with fennel!

Does this whet your appetite for fennel? Fennel recipes abound on the internet and we will have some available at market. Remember –fennel seed is an ingredient in Italian sausage! Enjoy!