Braised Cold Fennel Hearts Victor Recipes

BRAISED COLD FENNEL HEARTS VICTOR

Steps:

• Remove big, fibrous outer stalks of each head of fennel until you reveal the next tier of white fennel. Trim the tops, then wash thoroughly.
• Place fennel heads in pan and cover with chicken broth. Scatter with peppercorns and bay leaves. Season with salt gently. (The fennel itself has some salinity.)
• Cover with parchment and foil, and bring to a simmer on the stove top. Lower heat to barest flame possible, and let braise for 15 or 20 minutes until soft and tender when you pierce deep into the base with a blade or skewer.
• Remove seal, and lift cooked fennel out onto a drying rack set over a sheet pan to fully drain and cool.
• When they are cool enough to handle, pull off any of the tough remaining outer layers to reveal the tender hearts.
• Stir together the anchovies, garlic, chile flakes, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Make the marinade bright, assertive and bracing. Marinate the fennel hearts for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator.
• Finish with freshly chopped parsley.

OVEN-BRAISED FENNEL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a baking dish.
• Remove the stems and fronds from the fennel, quarter the bulbs and slice them one-half-inch thick. Arrange the slices in a baking dish and season with salt and pepper. Dot with one tablespoon of the butter.
• Pour the simmering chicken stock around the fennel, cover with a lid or foil and place in the oven to bake about 40 minutes, until tender. Uncover the fennel, increase oven temperature to 425 degrees and bake 10 minutes longer, until lightly browned and most of the liquid has evaporated.
• While the fennel is baking, brown the bread crumbs in remaining butter in a skillet and set aside. Just before serving the fennel sprinkle with the bread crumbs.

BRAISED FENNEL

Steps:

• Cut the green stalks from the top of the white fennel bulbs and cut the brown, round stump from the base. Cut fronds from stalks. Chop the fronds and set aside 2 tablespoons for serving. Cut bulbs in half 4 times, making 8 wedges out of each.
• Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add fennel wedges, flat-side down, and brown for 3 minutes. Flip and cook for about 2 minutes more. Add garlic and thyme and cook for 30 seconds. Add wine and deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Let wine reduce by half. Pour in chicken broth and orange juice.
• Reduce heat to medium. Cover and simmer until fennel is very tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Plate fennel. Sprinkle with salt and garnish with orange zest and fennel fronds.

BRAISED FENNEL AU GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Cut each fennel bulb in half and trim the root end. Cut off any stalks that protrude above the bulb.
• Drop the fennel halves in the boiling water and let them simmer for 7 minutes. Drain, refresh in cold water and drain again.
• Using 1/2 tablespoon of butter, grease the bottom and sides of an ovenproof porcelain or enamel dish just large enough to hold the fennel. Arrange the fennel halves in the dish. Spoon the glace de viande over them and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Dot with remaining butter.
• Cover the dish with foil and place in preheated oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until fennel can be pierced easily with a fork.
• Remove foil and sprinkle fennel halves with grated cheese. Raise heat to 500 degrees and return, uncovered, to a hot oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until cheese melts and the fennel halves start to turn brown. Serve immediately in the dish in which they were cooked.

BRAISED FENNEL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180c.
• Slice fennel in halves or quarters if large.
• Arrange in a small casserole dish.
• Combine oil, garlic and white wine and pour mixture over fennel.
• Cover and bake for 25 minutes.
• Microwave Method: Cook on high for 12- 15 minutes.

BRAISED FENNEL

Steps:

• Trim stalks flush with fennel bulb and cut each bulb lengthwise into quarters, or halves, if using small bulbs.
• In a heavy saucepan large enough to hold the fennel flat in one layer, melt 1 tablespoon butter over moderate heat.
• Add fennel garlic, thyme, and toss to coat with butter.
• Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Add wine and chicken stock.
• Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cover.
• Braise for 15 to 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
• Stir in remaining tablespoon butter.
• Reseason with salt and pepper, to taste.

ROSEMARY BRAISED FENNEL

Steps:

• Trim the stalks from the fennel. Discard or reserve for a vegetable stock. Quarter each bulb and carve out the core at the base, leaving just a thin portion of the core so the quarters won't fall apart as they cook.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in two batches, add the fennel in a single layer without crowding. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes on each side until golden, shaking the pan from time to time. Set the first batch aside on a plate, add a little more olive oil to the pan, and brown the other batch. Return all fennel pieces to the pan.
• Sprinkle with salt and rosemary. Add the wine, stock, and lime juice. Bring to a simmer and cover. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until tender. Remove the lid, turn the heat up to medium-high, and cook for 5 minutes, until the juices are syrupy. Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold.

BRAISED FENNEL

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and drop in the baby fennel bulbs or quartered bulbs.
• Return to a boil and cook 10 minutes, until the fennel is tender.
• Drain and set aside.
• In a frying pan large enough to hold all the fennel, heat the oil over medium-low heat, and add the garlic and red pepper flakes.
• Cook gently until the garlic has softened.
• Add the fennel and continue cooking, stirring to coat the fennel with the oil.
• Cook for an additional 5 minutes and serve hot or at room temperature.