Braised Fennel
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 137kcal
This Braised Fennel Recipe is an elegant side dish for roast chicken, fish, vegetarian meals, and more. The low and slow braising process leaves you with mouthwatering caramelized fennel infused with thyme, garlic, lemon, and honey. You’ll love this versatile veggie!
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 fennel bulbs about 1/2 pound each, stalks discarded, fronds reserved to garnish
- 1 cup water
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme plus ½ teaspoon minced
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
Instructions
- Leaving the core intact, halve the fennel, then cut the halves into 1-inch thick wedges.
- Arrange the fennel (cut side down) in a large nonstick skillet.
- Add the water, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, the thyme sprigs, garlic powder, salt and pepper to the skillet and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce the heat to medium and cover the skillet. Cook until the fennel is tender, about 8 minutes.
- Uncover the skillet and continue to cook until the water has evaporated, 8-10 minutes longer.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the fennel is browned, turning as needed, about 6 minutes longer.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, honey, minced thyme, remaining 2 Tablespoons olive oil and a pinch of salt.
- Pour the vinaigrette over the finished fennel and garnish with the reserved fronds. Enjoy!
Notes
Tips and tricks
- Wash the fennel bulbs really well before getting started. Their bulbs trap a lot of dirt and grit but rinsing them under running water should wash it away. Or, for a deep clean, slice the bulb in half vertically and rinse between the layers before cutting the halves into wedges.
- Keep the fennel core intact to help the wedges hold their shape during cooking. Use a sharp knife to slice the core into even 1-inch-thick wedges.
- Too much water will leave the fennel soggy instead of tender and caramelized. Use just enough to cover the bottom of the pan so it evaporates entirely during cooking.
- Leave space in between each fennel wedge to help them caramelize properly. If necessary, braise the fennel in batches.
- Braise in broth - Replace the water with vegetable, chicken, or parmesan broth to infuse more flavor.
- Wine-braised - For a more refined flavor, replace half the water with a dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.
- Toasted nuts - Sprinkle chopped toasted almonds, pecans, walnuts, pistachios, or pine nuts over the finished dish for some crunch and nuttiness.
- Cheesy finish - During the last minute of browning, sprinkle some grated parmesan or crumbled goat cheese over each piece of fennel. The heat will gently melt the cheese to create a creamy, savory finish.
Nutrition
Calories: 137kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 355mg | Potassium: 497mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 181IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 1mg