Fennel Provencal Recipes

SCALLOPS PROVENCAL

Steps:

• If you're using bay scallops, keep them whole. If you're using sea scallops, cut each 1 in half horizontally. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss with flour, and shake off the excess.
• In a very large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter over high heat until sizzling and add the scallops in 1 layer. Lower the heat to medium and allow the scallops to brown lightly on 1 side without moving them, then turn and brown lightly on the other side. This should take 3 to 4 minutes, total. Melt the rest of the butter in the pan with the scallops, then add the shallots, garlic, and parsley and saute for 2 more minutes, tossing the seasonings with the scallops. Add the wine, cook for 1 minute, and taste for seasoning. Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon juice.

PROVENçAL SALMON WITH FENNEL, ROSEMARY AND ORANGE ZEST

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Season fillets on both sides with salt and pepper. Grind fennel seed coarsely in a coffee or spice grinder, and mix it with the rosemary and orange zest. Press this mixture onto the top of each fillet.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 3 or 4 minutes. Add the oil or butter called for in the recipe and, when it shimmers, place the fillets, coated side down, in the pan. Cook about 1 minute, or until the spice mixture forms a nicely browned crust.
• Turn the fillets and cook about a minute more, then transfer to the oven. Cook about 4 minutes for rare salmon, 5 to 6 minutes for medium rare and 8 minutes for well done.

BRAISED FENNEL

Steps:

• Cut off and discard stalks from fennel bulbs, reserving fronds. Chop 1 tablespoon fronds and discard remainder. Cut bulbs lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices, leaving core intact.
• Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown fennel slices well, turning over once, 3 to 4 minutes total.
• Reduce heat to low. Sprinkle fennel with salt and pepper, then add broth and water. Cook, covered, until fennel is tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Sprinkle with fennel fronds.

FENNEL PROVENCAL

Steps:

• Fry the onions and garlic gently in the olive oil in a large saucepan.
• Add the chopped fennel and cook for approximately five minutes.
• Add the white wine, simmer for ten minutes.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and the herbs.
• Cover the pot and simmer for fifteen minutes.
• Remove lid and simmer further uncovered to thicken sauce if preferred.
• Just prior to serving add the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
• May be served cold.

FENNEL-STEAMED MUSSELS PROVENCAL

Steps:

• Place the oil in a large pot and turn the heat to medium; 1 minute later, add the garlic, fennel, fennel seeds, liqueur, and tomatoes and tarragon if you're using them. Bring to a boil, cook for about 1 minute. Add the mussels, cover the pot, and turn the heat to high.
• Cook, shaking the pot occasionally, until the mussels open, 5 to 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the mussels and fennel to a serving bowl, then strain any liquid over them and serve.

FENNEL WITH PROVENCAL TOMATO

Steps:

• Wash and cut up all your vegetables first.
• Heat up the olive oil in the pan, and slowly start adding in the pieces of fennel. When they have cooked for a while and taken up the aroma of the olive oil, pour in the vegetable juice, cook on high (or at least that is what I did, because I wanted to get rid of the liquid and make the sauce thicken).
• After about 10 to 15 minutes, add in the tomatoes. After another 5 minutes, add salt, pepper and garlic to taste (you could also put in fresh garlic, but I didn't have any -- or leave it out).
• I left the fennel cooking until firstly, the liquid had reduced nicely and secondly, the fennel was cooked through. I think it took about 3o minutes. But it doesn't have to be that long because you can eat all the ingredients raw anyway!
• Sprinkle with Herbes de Provence, server aussitôt (serve away).
• As a main dish, I guess you could serve it with rice or noodles or potatoes -- I just ate it like that. As a side dish, it could accompany fish or chicken or anything that rocks your boat. Is still very nice the second day, reheated or cold. And low in fat.