Harmony Valley Farm: July 6, 2023 - This Week's Box Contents Featuring Fennel

Wow, where do we start this week! Fresh fennel, a pile of cucumbers and broccoli, the first cauliflower of the year, fresh carrots with their tops still on…..so much potential for delicious meals! This week we’re focusing on Fennel as our featured vegetable of the week. Fennel is often one of those vegetables that individuals either like or don’t care for. I have grown to really enjoy the flavor of fennel over recent years, and I love how it infuses every dish with a subtle background sweetness. We have three featured recipes this week, all of which are pretty easy. I turned to a Sicilian blog to find this recipe for Honey Roasted Fennel (See Below). If you want to expand the vegetable selection with this recipe, consider increasing the honey mixture and add fresh carrots and/or beets to the mix! While this first recipe suggestion uses the bulb of fennel, save the feathery fronds, and use them in this Fennel Frond & Pineapple Smoothie (See Below)! Now, if you’re not sure about how much you like fennel, this recipe for Pork & Fennel Meatballs (See Below) may be most to your liking. Serve them on their own or toss them with a sauce of your creative choosing! In addition to these featured recipes, I included a list of other recipe suggestions in hopes that something will catch your interest. Of course, you can always reference suggestions from previous years by searching on our blog or website.

Lets talk about green top vegetables for a moment. You know I’m a big advocate for eating greens and maximizing yield and the nutrient potential of every vegetable. You paid for it, so you might as well eat it! This week we have fresh carrot tops and fresh beet greens. Both of these items are packed with valuable nutrients and vitality, so I encourage you to take advantage of them and find a way to enjoy them! I’ve included some recipe selections and articles to get you started. Check out this article entitled “15 Deliciously Creative Ways To Eat Beet Greens”. I also included links to two recipes I want to try including One-Pan Baked Brie & Beet Greens Frittata and Caramelized Fennel & Beet Tart. As for the carrot tops, they make an awesome Carrot Top Chimichurri to serve with grilled fish or chicken. Many longtime members like to make Carrot Top Pesto which may be served with crackers, tossed with pasta, added into scrambled eggs, etc. I want to try this Carrot Top Tabbouleh Salad and you can never go wrong with Carrot Top Pesto Hummus!

Ok, I’ll get off my green top soap box now. This is a big week for broccoli and cucumbers, so I included some extra recipe selections and resources to help you find ways to eat these two common and popular vegetables. And with the first cauliflower of the season, I was excited to find this recipe for Savory Cauliflower Crostata. Crostatas are like a rustic version of a pie or tart and they are a delicious way to eat vegetables! And for those parents with children who may find cauliflower to be a bit of a strong flavor, check out this recipe collection entitled: 31 Delicious Cauliflower Recipes Kids Will Eat!

Ok, I’m going to sign off for this week. I hope you have a great week, cook some amazing food, and have some summer fun! I’ll see you back here again next week with more delicious vegetables and recipe suggestions!—Chef Andrea

Vegetable Feature: Fennel

by Andrea Yoder

Fennel can be a hard sell to some individuals, while others cannot get enough of it! Fair enough as most of us Midwestern raised individuals likely did not grow up eating fennel. Honestly, the extent of my exposure to fennel was wondering what the funny little seeds were in the pizza sauce on the school pizza. I do not recall eating fresh fennel until late in my college years. Fast forward to now and I have really come to enjoy fennel, and even crave it during the winter! If you are in the part of the crowd that is still learning to like fennel, I hope you’ll keep an open mind this week and consider trying it. Read on and I’ll give you a few more suggestions that might lead you to successfully finding a way you enjoy preparing and eating this unique vegetable!

One of the unique characteristics about fennel is that all parts of the plant above ground are usable, which is why I like to call it “The Three In One Vegetable.” The white bulb is the most commonly used portion, but the stalks and feathery fronds that extend from the bulb are also edible. The stalks can be more tough and fibrous, but they have a lot of flavor. The feathery parts that resemble dill are actually called fronds. They have a mild flavor and can be used more like an herb.

Fennel may be eaten raw and cooked. It pairs well with a variety of ingredients and flavors, so when you’re looking at recipes, you’ll likely see similar ingredients show up time after time. Fennel pairs well with lemons, oranges, and grapefruit as well as herbs such as dill, parsley, thyme, and basil. It also plays well with beets, tomatoes, celery, onions, carrots, potatoes, pomegranate, apples, stone fruit, and berries. It is often used in dishes along with Parmesan, cream and white wine which come together to make a delicious sauce. Lastly, fennel pairs very well with seafood, especially in soups and chowders, and pork products including sausage, pancetta, prosciutto, fresh pork cuts and more. While most think of fennel as a vegetable to use in savory dishes, it can also be used in sweet preparations paired with honey, citrus, berries, etc.

The stalks and bulbs typically have the strongest flavor. If you enjoy the flavor of fennel, you’ll likely enjoy it raw. I have one very important point to make about eating fennel raw. It must be sliced very thin, like paper thin! Fennel bulbs are very fibrous and dense. If you slice it thinly it is more tender and enjoyable to eat, plus it mingles better with other flavors in the dish. In its raw form, fennel bulb is often used in simple raw salads and can also be used in fresh salsas, pickled, or preserved in alcohol to make your own digestif. When you cook fennel, the essential oils that give it its distinct flavor and aroma volatilize and the flavor and aroma of fennel mellow and become more mild and sweet. For those of you who are still learning to like fennel, this is Tip #1! If you find the flavor of raw fennel too strong, try cooking it. Fennel is delicious when roasted, simmered into sauces and soups, or sautéed and then added to recipes such as meatballs, warm grain salads, compotes, etc.

The stalk may be eaten, but seldom is. Rather it is often used for flavoring. I like to save the stalks and add them to vegetable or meat broth or just stick the whole stalk directly into a pot of soup to flavor it while cooking and then pull it out before serving. It can also be used as a stirring stick for cocktails or to flavor water, lemonade, etc. In a previous year we featured a recipe for Candied Fennel Stalk that is quite tasty. It’s a great treat to munch on after a meal to help aid with digestion and appeal to that desire for something sweet.

Last but not least, lets talk about the mild, feathery fronds. Chop them up and use them as a herb-like garnish on salads, stirred into soups, cooked rice or as a final topping on a pizza. You can also blend them into smoothies and drinks or use them to make a cocktail.

Fennel should be stored in a plastic bag or other closed container in the refrigerator to keep it crisp until you are ready to use it. Take the time to wash the fennel bulb well before using it. Sometimes a little dirt can get in between the layers of the bulb as it grows. The layers of the bulb are held together by the core at its base. Sometimes you may wish to leave the core intact to hold the layers together, such as when you may cut it into wedges and roast it. In other recipes where you may want the layers to fall apart, cut the core out of the base of the bulb and you’re ready to go. Sometimes I cut the fennel bulb first and then put it in a colander to wash it thoroughly.

In addition to its culinary value, fennel has some health benefits. It can soothe the stomach and GI tract; thus it’s often used to help with digestion. It can also freshen breath and has other potential health benefits including being antibacterial and working as an antioxidant to remove free radicals in our bodies. It is high in fiber and vitamin C in particular.

Fennel Frond and Pineapple Smoothie

Photo from www.wholefoodbellies.com

Yield: 2 servings

2 cups coconut water or coconut milk

1 cup loosely packed fennel fronds

2 cups frozen pineapple chunks

2 ripe bananas

Pop all of the ingredients into a high-powered blender in the order listed. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Serve and enjoy!

Recipe borrowed from www.wholefoodbellies.com

Fennel Pork Meatballs

Photo from www.downshiftology.com

Yield: 40 meatballs

4 Tbsp olive oil

½ medium onion, finely chopped (or substitute 2-3 scallions)

½ fennel bulb, finely chopped

2 pounds ground pork

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

½ cup roughly chopped fresh parsley

1 tsp ground fennel seed

1 tsp salt

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Heat one tablespoon of oil in a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add the onions and fennel and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly softened. Remove from the heat to cool.
In a large mixing bowl, add the pork, eggs, parsley, fennel seed, salt, and pepper. Once the sauteed onions and fennel have cooled slightly, add them to the mixing bowl and use your hands to mix all ingredients together.
Shape the pork mixture into small meatballs, approximately 1 ½ inches in diameter. Make all the meatballs and place on parchment-lined baking tray or large plate.
Wipe your previously used large sauté pan clean, then add 3 tablespoons of oil to the pan over medium heat. Place the first batch of meatballs in the pan, being careful not to crowd the pan. Cook the meatballs 2 to 3 minutes on one side, then rotate them, so that all sides are browned. The meatballs should cook for 10 to 12 minutes total, or until the inside is no longer pink. When the first batch is done, remove them to a paper towel-lined plate and start the next batch.
Discard any fat from the pan and add all of the meatballs back to the pan to warm through before serving.

Note from Chef Andrea: This recipe was sourced from downshiftology.com. You can choose your own adventure with how to serve these meatballs. You may choose to serve them just as they are, or you could add a sauce of your choosing. They would be tasty served over pasta with a creamy garlic sauce and topped off with fresh basil or chopped fennel fronds. You could also serve them with spiralized zucchini noodles and marinara sauce. The sky’s the limit, so get creative!

Honey Roasted Fennel

Photo from www.siciliangirl.com

Yield: 4 servings

3 medium fennel bulbs

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp honey

8 sprigs fresh thyme

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Balsamic Vinegar

With a sharp knife, cut a thin slice off the stem end of the fennel bulb and discard. Remove the stalks and fronds by cutting about 1-inch above the fennel bulb. Reserve fronds for garnishing at the end.
Cut the bulb in half lengthwise from top to stem end.
Using a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil and honey. Add the fresh thyme sprigs and fennel and gently toss to coat.
Place the halves, cut-side down, on a parchment-lined baking sheet and season with salt and pepper.
Roast in a preheated 400°F oven for 225 minutes or until tender and browned.
To serve, place fennel cut-side up and drizzle with balsamic vinegar and garnish with reserved fronds.

Recipe borrowed from siciliangirl.com.

Wednesday, July 5, 2023

July 6, 2023 - This Week's Box Contents Featuring Fennel

Cooking With This Week's Box

Vegetable Feature: Fennel

Fennel Frond and Pineapple Smoothie

Fennel Pork Meatballs

Honey Roasted Fennel

No comments: