I had made some good vegetable broth for the vegetarian thread, and had some left over fennel bulb, so I am reading Giuliano Bugialli’s " Classic Techniques in Italian cooking " ( great book ) and came across… a dish from Parma… Fennel " Bulb " Parma style. Its going to be pretty simple.
Quartered fennel soaked and boiled, sauted in butter ( sounds like this may soften the anise flavor. that to me can be a bit overwhelming with bulbs ), then Cook sweet sausage, and alternate layers of sliced fennel sausage and of course Parmigiano in baking dish and Sand P . Bake at 375 for about 25 mins.
They suggest in can be served as an in-between dish ( piatto di mezzo )… I’ll just use it as a side or main… in the next few days. Are you thinking Barbara wine? I’ll shoot a picture when I get it done.
I do make a “pesto” out of the fronds by boiling, though. Boil until softened, then make a pesto using the fennel fronds in place of basil. It’s really yummy.
The recipe says quarter the bulbs, remove the hard inner parts, soak in cold water for 30 mins. Then bring water to boil, salt TT, add fennel, boil 10 mins, drain on paper towel.
Dennis maybe roasting them might help!! Now I do like fennel shaved thin in my orange salad. But I think the anise/licorice flavor is just over whelming !! I keep trying to like the stuff.
Here I used the tender inner part , after boiling and made little boats, with sausage and cheese. I think this needed a lot more butter or some braising liquid/ just didn’t work for me, Dude ( ala Randy Jackson )!!
NOTE !! The image insert doesn’t work correctly yet!!
Paul - I agree on the Bugialli book. Some classic old world recipes and instructions.
Your recipe for the fennel bulb is similar to one I use for Swiss chard. When it seems that all you get is Swiss chard from the CSA, it is time to start making the layered cheese and sausage dish.
I just found a recipe for a fennel sformato (sformato di finocchio).
Think I will give this a try.
