Making A Mess

Fennel is one of those under-utilized vegetables that are aromatic, crunchy, and culinarily versatile. It contains a subtle undertone of licorice behind that sweetness. You can grill it, braise it, bake it, saute it, and of course, eat it raw. Also, its medicinal properties have been explored for centuries. 

Below I have a healthy recipe for a Carrot Fennel Gratin. Feel free to slosh in some heavy cream if you want some more creaminess on your tongue and fat on your butt. 

Ingredients

• 2 medium Fennel bulbs, cleaned and cut into 1/4 inch slices horizontally, fronds reserved
• 1 large Carrot, cleaned and cut into 1/4 inch discs
• Salt n Pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 1/4 cup grated Aged Cheddar Cheese, WHITE
• 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• Handful of Panko*
• 2 Tbsp EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

Method

1. In an oven-safe glass/porcelain tray, season fennel and carrot with salt and pepper. 
2. Stir together milk and cheddar cheese; mix evenly with the vegetables.
3. Top with Parmigiano Reggiano.
4. Top with panko; and drizzle olive oil on top.
5. Bake @ 350F for about 45 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the top is golden brown.
6. (Optional) Garnish with fennel frond tips.

* Panko is Japanese breadcrumb. It’s light, flaky, and crunchy. I much prefer it to regular breadcrumb. But feel free to substitute.

Did you know? Fennel is one of the three main herbs in making Absinthe!

This bomb Tomato Salad is a foolproof dish. And despite its simplicity, in my opinion it’s one of the most delicious things on the face of this planet! You just can’t go wrong with a combination of vine-ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, crunchy cucumbers, caramelized onions, and cheese. The key is to use the freshest local ingredients that you can find, and to treat them with respect.

Ingredients

• 3 parts ripe Tomatoes, cut into large bite-size chunks
• 1 part Cucumber, slice into half-moons 
• 1 part Cipolline al Balsamico*, leave whole or cut into halves if large
• Fresh Basil, chiffonade 
• Generous splash of EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
• Generous drizzles of Balsamic Glaze from Cipolline al Balsamico
• Salt n Pepper
• Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated

Method

1. Combine all ingredients, toss GENTLY with FINGERS. 
2. (Optional) Top individual serving plate with several small nuggets of room-temperature goat cheese. This will add a certain degree of creaminess to the dish. But do NOT mix in with salad!

I had some Cipolline al Balsamico on hand, so I’m using it in this recipe. But alternatively, feel free to roast some regular onions in an oven (400F) with a generous amount of olive oil, a little salt and pepper, and then a GOOD balsamic vinegar in the dressing. Warning: it’s not easy to find a good balsamic vinegar in a regular supermarket. You might have to go to a specialty store for that. But hey, enjoy the trip! I find something novel and interesting almost every time when I’m in a specialty gourmet shop.

* The recipe for this can be found in my blog!

Kumquats are like tiny oranges. Except with an orange, you toss the peel and eat the flesh; with a kumquat, you eat the peel and toss the flesh. Its peel is tender and orangy with a slight bitterness. But its flesh is tasteless or, sometimes overly sour. 

I had a big batch of fresh kumquats and, delicious as the raw peels were, they were just orange peels nonetheless. Also, it felt a little odd munching through 30 little oranges in less than half an hour. So I decided to kick it up a notch by marrying them with a little sugar and spice. The gooey citrusy sweetness from these Candied Kumquats gave such contrast to the crunchy-creamy tanginess from my Pistachio Crusted Goat Cheese. Together, they make a party in your mouth.

Ingredients

1. A dozen fresh Kumquats
2. 1/3 cup Sugar
3. 1/3 cup Water
4. 2 Cinnamon Sticks
5. 4 whole Cloves
6. 1/4 cup whole shelled Pistachio nuts
7. 24 balls of Goat Cheese, approx. 1 cm in diameter

Method - Candied Kumquats

1. Half kumquats lengthwise. Scoop out the flesh and seeds, discard.
2. In a small saucepan, combine water and sugar. (This will make a basic simple syrup.) Add the kumquat peels, cinnamon sticks, and whole cloves.
3. Over low low heat, simmer with the lid off until the kumquat peels have become translucent and the syrup has thickened to a jelly-like consistency. 

Method - Pistachio Crusted Goat Cheese

1. Toast pistachios over low heat either in a pan on a stovetop or on a tray in an oven.*
2. One at a time, roll small amounts of goat cheese into tiny balls approx. 1 cm in diameter with the centers of your palms.
3. Pound toasted pistachios into small bits, into which roll/toss gently the goat cheese balls.

Assembly

1. Take a pistachio crusted goat cheese ball and stuff it into a candied kumquat half. Repeat 24 times.
2. Top with leftover crushed pistachio bits.

Look beyond the good’ol chips and salsa, and experiment with gourmet finger foods. This makes an awesome party dish. Don’t forget, let your senses be your guide! 

* Be careful when you toast nuts. Nuts are culinarily delicate and burn quite easily. Believe me, you don’t want smoky black nuts. But if you treat them right, you can drastically enhance their flavor and aroma with minimum effort.