This side dish of fennel braised with an orange scent was a great revelation because they remain delicious to the palate, not overcooked but tender and just slightly caramelized by the sugar in the orange juice that creates the famous Maillard reaction.
I added a few fennel seeds… so few that I didn’t notice them in the tasting haha but perhaps that’s fine anyway!
The braised fennel with orange is, for me, a side dish that pairs wonderfully with fish dishes. With beef, I’d say no, but with chicken and pork… why not?
Fennel is a winter vegetable vegetable low in calories, delicious in pinzimonio, great in a baking tray with béchamel or even with gorgonzola… in short, they are a very versatile and economical side dish!
Fennel is one of the most used vegetables in Italian cuisine; once, due to its sweet taste and delicate aroma, it was served at the end of the meal. Fennel is very good braised, sautéed, or gratinated. This dish can be served hot or at room temperature. You can also prepare this dish with smaller fennel: cut them in half and cook them the same way. Serve them rounded side up.
I suggest other fennel recipes such as:
MARINATED RAW FENNEL
TASTY PAN FENNEL
BRAISED FENNEL WITH ORANGE
The kitchen of ASI
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 2/4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 3 fennel
- 1 orange (juice)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- as needed water
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- as needed salt
- as needed pepper
Tools
- Pan
- Citrus Juicer
- Knife
- Cutting Board
Instructions
Wash the fennel, removing the tougher outer leaves and also removing the stalks, the base, and the herbs which I kept for “decoration” …
Cut into irregular wedges and dry well.
In a large pan, add the extra virgin olive oil and heat over medium flame.
Add the fennel and continue cooking over a high flame, stirring constantly to avoid over-browning the fennel wedges,
Fennel contains 90% water, which will aid in cooking without burning the vegetable but creating a browned sauce excellent for tenderizing the vegetable bulbs.
After about 5/6 minutes, pour the orange juice with half a cup of water into the pan.
Adjust for salt and pepper, cover the pan, and continue cooking for another 10 minutes to have the fennel tender but with a very pleasant crunchy base!
Tender and tasty braised fennel is a pleasant and tasty winter side dish, excellent to pair with simple roasted or boiled fish dishes.
Enjoy your meal!
Annalisa
