It's always more fun to DIY. Every week, we'll spare you a trip to the grocery store and show you how to make small batches of great foods at home.
Today: Extend the winter vegetable season by a few more weeks by making a jar of pickled fennel from Angela Brown of The Chef's Wife.
When I was growing up, family gatherings were pretty serious food events. Any time family walked through our door, the dining room table would immediately be loaded with platters of shellfish, pasta, trays of antipasto, and baskets of freshly baked breads.
Along with these heavier options, there always sat one unassuming platter filled with pieces of roughly chopped fennel, or finochio, as my grandmother used to say. Fennel, which acts as a digestive aid and a fresh, crisp palate cleanser, would remain on the table throughout our meal.
More: Everything you need to know to hack into a hairy bulb of fennel.
The fennel was always my favorite treat to nibble between courses. It was a sort of like vegetable candy, its mild anise flavor similar to the long strings of licorice I used to eat by the handful.
Fennel season is beginning to wrap up, but it’s possible to extend it into early spring by pickling a bulb or two. Simply slice the raw fennel into thin, crescent-shaped slivers and give them a bath in an orange-infused brine. The final product is a beautiful winter pickle that tastes a bit like black licorice with a subtle orange hint. It’s the ideal way to carry fennel with you even after its season ends.
Pickled Fennel with Orange Zest
Makes about 2 cups
1 to 2 fennel bulbs, stalks removed
1 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons sugar
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
2 tablespoons orange zest
Slice the fennel into very thin slivers. Rinse it thoroughly and set aside.
Add all of the remaining ingredients to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. In the meantime, tightly pack the sliced fennel into a glass jar.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the brine to cool for 1 to 2 minutes. Next, pour the brine into the jar, being sure to cover the fennel completely.
Allow the jar to cool to room temperature, then seal it with a tight-fitting lid.
When kept covered and chilled, the pickles will keep well for 1 to 2 weeks.
See the full recipe (and save and print it) here.
Photos by Angela Brown
Written by: angela brown
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Recipes anyone?
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