Italian Ingredient Guide: The Humble Fennel Bulb
It’s no secret that Italy is home to some of the world’s best food; the good news is, the Italian diet isn’t really that complicated! In the end, Italian cuisine is all about good quality produce and simple recipes.
But while Italians seem to be born with an innate understanding of olive oil and pasta sauces, it can be a little hard for the rest of us! So, I’ve decided to put together an Easy Italian Ingredient Guide. I’ll spotlight some of Italy’s favorite produce and show you just how easy it is to eat healthily and to prepare delicious, nourishing food that you can share with your community.
To start with, let’s talk about an Italian staple, the humble Fennel Bulb, also known as Finocchio.
ITALIAN INGREDIENT GUIDE: FENNEL BULBS
What is Fennel?
Fennel, although often thought of as a vegetable, is actually an herb that belongs to the carrot family! It comes from the Mediterranean, but you can find it growing wild across the globe in places like California and Australia. While you can eat every part of it, from the seeds to the leaves, today, I’m going to focus on the bulb itself. Good quality fennel is deliciously refreshing, with an aniseed flavor. It will cleanse your palate at the end of your meal or add a delicious crunch to any salad.
Benefits of Fennel
Okay, so here’s the thing about Italians – they often won’t be able to tell you exactly why a certain ingredient is good for you in scientific terms, but usually, what they say matches up with the research. For example, Italians often eat fennel raw at the end of a meal, saying it helps with digestion and cleansing. If you do a quick search, you’ll find that Fennel Bulbs are an impressive source of dietary fiber, which we all know is amazing for digestion and gut health! Fennel Bulbs are also rich in potassium, manganese and Vitamins A, C & B6, which combined can help with metabolism and maintaining healthy blood pressure.
How to Prepare Fennel and Simple Fennel Recipes
If there’s one lesson you can take away from Italian cuisine, it’s that eating well doesn’t have to be complicated! The Fennel Bulb is a perfect example of that. To prepare a Fennel Bulb, simply cut off the white, fibrous stalks and wash the root. The next steps depend on how you want to eat it.
Fennel as a Palate Cleanser
If you read my last post about a Traditional Italian Meal, you probably noticed that Italians take digestion very seriously! In fact, they say eating raw fennel at the end of a meal will help you to digest your food and activate your liver. If you’d like to give it a try, simply cut a Fennel Bulb in half or in quarters, then savor each crunchy layer one by one.
Add Sliced Fennel to Your Salad
Finely sliced Fennel Bulb is a perfect addition to any fresh salad. Simply slice the fennel in half, cutting from the top of the bulb down. Lay the Fennel on the flat side, and finely slice it. You could add this to any salad so feel free to experiment! Some of my favorite combinations though are Finely Sliced Fennel with orange segments and avocado, or a green salad with cucumber, salad leaves, and fennel.
Roasted Vegetables with Fennel Bulb
Roast vegetables are an easy, healthy winter meal, especially with some good bread, fresh cheese like caprino, or goat’s cheese, and a bottle of red wine. Simply quarter the fennel bulb, throw them on the roasting tray with your other vegetables and some salt, pepper, olive oil, and garlic cloves, and leave it to roast for 40 minutes or so. Because Fennel Bulbs have a high water content, they’ll come out of the oven tender and juicy, with a beautiful subtle flavor. Enjoy!
Adding a healthy Italian touch to your meals really is as simple as that! If you’re inspired to try some more Italian meals, why not check out my free Guide to Authentic Italian Pantry Recipes? Just click here!
Are you a fan of Fennel, or has this article inspired you to try it? Or is there another Italian ingredient you’d like to learn about? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
