Roasted Fennel
I’ve been on a big roasted vegetable kick lately. I love how roasting almost any vegetable with a little bit of olive oil and salt and pepper brings out it’s natural sweetness. My favorite so far have been roasted green beans… so easy, so amazing, and I promise to post it the next time I make them and have a chance to take a picture.
But back to the fennel. I have been wanting to try roasted fennel for quite awhile now. I had seen so many recipes, and it looked soooo tasty. Long story short…it didn’t taste how I imagined it would taste. That being said, it was really quite nice and something different for a change. We ate it with a nice grilled tenderloin, and it was a yummy addition.
For those not familiar, fennel has a hint of licorice. Being a culinary newbie, I actually misunderstood and thought that fennel, anise, and licorice were all the same plant, but I was very wrong.
- 1 fennel bulb, stalks cut off, halved lengthwise, then cut vertically into 8 wedges with core attached to each wedge
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- Olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet or dish.
- Combine fennel, garlic, olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a large bowl; toss to coat. Spread fennel out on baking sheet; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Lay fennel out in prepared pan. Roast for 30-40 minutes, turning once, or until the fennel is cooked through and beginning to caramelize.
I love roasted fennel. I roasted some recently but it didn’t turn out as good. I think my fennel wasn’t as fresh as it could have been. I’ll have to give it a try again.