Fennel is a very versatile vegetable that can be cooked in many ways and paired with various ingredients: a classic combination is with orange – either raw in a salad or baked – but also with cheese, as in fennel with parmesan or fennel with gorgonzola. Today, I want to suggest a really tantalizing recipe: sweet and sour fennel, enriched with Taggiasca olives, pine nuts, and raisins. It is a very simple preparation that you can cook entirely in one pan, without pre-boiling the fennel, and it can be served as an appetizer or as a side dish paired with fish or white meats. The delicate flavor of fennel in this recipe is enhanced by the addition of sugar and vinegar, which give the dish its characteristic sweet and sour taste, and by the savoriness of the Taggiasca olives. Sweet and sour fennel is a recipe you will also appreciate in the summer, thanks to the quick preparation and the fact that it is best enjoyed cold or at room temperature.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 170.93 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 13.43 (g) of which sugars 11.22 (g)
- Proteins 3.20 (g)
- Fat 11.66 (g) of which saturated 1.41 (g)of which unsaturated 3.65 (g)
- Fibers 4.88 (g)
- Sodium 203.92 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 168 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Sweet and Sour Fennel in a Pan
- 2.2 lbs fennel
- 0.7 oz raisins
- 0.7 oz pine nuts
- 0.5 cup water
- 0.7 oz sugar
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 1.4 oz Taggiasca olives (pitted)
- 2 pinches salt
- to taste pepper
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Tools
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Pan non-stick with lid
- 1 Spoon
How to Cook Sweet and Sour Fennel in a Pan
For the English version of this recipe click here!
To prepare the sweet and sour fennel, start by cleaning the fennel: remove the stalks and the outer leaves if they are damaged. Cut them in half and slice them to about a quarter inch thick (1). Soak the raisins in warm water for about 10 minutes.
Take a non-stick pan large enough to hold all the fennel (11 inches in diameter) and pour in the oil (2). Heat it well, then add the fennel (3).
Add two pinches of salt and a grind of pepper. Sauté the fennel for a minute or two, then moisten them with about ½ cup of hot water (4).
Cover the pan with a lid and let it simmer over low heat for 10-12 minutes (5). After the cooking time, the fennel will be soft (6).
Remove the lid and let the cooking liquid reduce. Then add the raisins, after draining and squeezing them, and the pine nuts (7). Mix well and also add the pitted Taggiasca olives (8).
It’s time to give your fennel in a pan the sweet and sour touch. First, add the sugar, distributing it evenly (9).
Mix carefully and let it cook for a few seconds, then turn up the heat to high and add the vinegar (10). Let it evaporate for about a minute, stirring often, until you no longer smell the strong vinegar scent (11).
Turn off the heat and let the sweet and sour fennel cool before serving. They are excellent either at room temperature or after resting in the refrigerator.
Storage
You can store sweet and sour fennel in the refrigerator for 3 days.
Tips and Variations
Slice the fennel into thick slices, otherwise, they will fall apart completely during cooking. If you don’t have pine nuts, you can replace them with sliced almonds or coarsely chopped walnuts.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
What can I use instead of raisins?
Raisins serve to intensify the sweet note of the dish, but if you don’t like them, you can omit them and add an extra teaspoon of sugar to the dish.
Which vinegar should be used for sweet and sour preparations?
I use apple cider vinegar because it has a more delicate and aromatic flavor, but if you don’t have it, you can use red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar.
