Fennel

There are two types of fennel, both with green, celery-like stems and bright green feathery foliage. Florence fennel also called finocchio is cultivated throughout the Mediterranean and in the US. It has a broad, bulbous base that’s treated like a vegetable. Both the base and the stems can be eaten raw in salads or cooked in a variety of methods such as braising, sautéing or in soups. The fragrant greenery can be used as garnish or snipped like dill and used as a flavor enhancer, the type of fennel is often mislabeled sweet anise, causing those who don’t like the flavor of licorice to avoid it. The flavor of fennel, however is sweeter and more delicate than anise and when cooked becomes even lighter and more elusive than in its raw state. Common fennel is the variety from which the oval, greenish brown seeds come from.