Fennel Grown by Riverford in the Vendée at Le Boutinard, France

£2.95 / x1

About

Organic fennel with a strong, clear aniseed flavour and a succulent crunch. It's so delectable that the local rabbit populations can develop a bit of an addiction to the sweet, juicy leaves - our growers' ingenuity is stretched finding ways to defend the fennel harvest for your boxes.

Florence (or bulb) fennel, is a close relative of anise, and shares the family's unique liquorice tang. Not surprisingly, it tends to elicit a love-it or hate-it response. To the haters, we recommend you open your minds and give it another go. Although crisp raw fennel has a potent aniseed flavour, cooked fennel is a different beast - turning sweet and soft. Try it slow-cooked, or in an bubbling, creamy gratin.

Country of origin

Produced in

France

UK Seasonality

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The feathery green fronds are a bonus, excellent for stuffing fish, tossing into salads, or adding to buttery potatoes

- Riverford chefs

How to prepare

You can eat fennel raw or cooked. Raw, it’s fresh, crunchy and aniseedy – just slice into slivers and dress with zesty lemon and black pepper. Add blood orange, black olives or ribbons or raw asparagus for additional luxury.

Cooked, fennel turns gorgeously soft, sweet and mellow. Roast in wedges or slow cook in olive oil until tender.

BBQ tip: Fennel is perfectly good raw, and only needs a light turn over the heat to add an interesting smoky edge. So, don’t always feel the need to cook it until soft. Trim away any tough tops and slice the bulb thinly, lengthways. Toss with a little olive oil and season well. Throw straight onto the griddle bars and cook for a few minutes over medium-high heat, until lightly marked. You can cook it for longer, cut into thicker slices or wedges and cooked over a less direct heat. It will take 12-15 mins or so and should be deeply coloured on the outside and tender to the bite.

Storage

Delivered from our farm, so wash before cooking. Best kept in the fridge. Cut off the leaves, if you're not planning to eat them (they draw moisture away from the bulb).

Grown by Riverford in the Vendée, Le Boutinard, France

Our brilliant French grower team, led by Marco Altamirano, supply our boxes with loads of colourful veg throughout the year. There’s lettuces, sweet mini peppers, cucumbers, broad beans, aubergines, autumn squashes – plus some of our favourite unusual treats of the year, including Padron peppers, cape gooseberries and tangy Mexican-style tomatillos.