Why do chefs use fennel so much?

Though often overlooked by home cooks, this versatile ingredient is beloved by chefs for its pleasantly sweet, fresh flavor and mild aromatic character.

How do you cook Jamie Oliver fennel?

Place the fennel in a baking dish with the whole unpeeled garlic cloves, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, add a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, toss well with a good splash of water, then arrange in a single layer, cover with tin foil and roast for 1 hour. Coarsely grate the cheese and mix with the cream.

What are the disadvantages of eating too much fennel?

What Are The Disadvantages Of Eating Fennel Seeds? Excess consumption of fennel may worsen kidney disorders, slow down the clotting process, disrupt hormone-sensitive conditions, and can cause chronic skin allergies.

Who shouldn't use fennel?

Taking fennel might increase the risk of bleeding or bruising in people with bleeding disorders . Hormone-sensitive condition such as breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, endometriosis, or uterine fibroids: Fennel might act like estrogen.

Why do you soak fennel in water?

Take a handful of fennel seeds and soak them in a glass full of water. Let it rest overnight and drink it in the morning. It enhances the absorption of vitamins and minerals in the body and thereby helps one reduce weight .

What pairs well with fennel?

Citrus: Fennel pairs well with citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, and limes . Herbs: Fennel pairs well with fresh herbs such as dill, parsley, and thyme. Cheese: Fennel pairs well with cheeses such as parmesan, feta, and goat cheese. Nuts: Fennel pairs well with nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts, and pine nuts.

What spice goes with fennel?

Spices that pair with fennel Anise, star anise, dill seed, nutmeg, cardamom, black pepper, cumin, coriander seeds cassia, cinnamon, turmeric, cloves and fenugreek .

Is it OK to eat fennel everyday?

Fennel is usually safe if you eat it in normal amounts , but there are some possible risks for certain people: Allergies. If you are allergic to plants in the carrot family, you might have an allergic reaction to fennel.

Why does fennel suppress appetite?

8 showed that taking fennel as tea (containing 2 g of dried tea) or as aromatherapy (2-4 drops of fennel oil on dried cotton)9 could suppress appetite in overweight women. This effect was attributed to the content of trans-anethole, which acted on amphetamine and helped appetite control .

What is the point of fennel?

Fennel contains beta-carotene (which is converted to vitamin A in the body) and vitamin C, a nutrient important for collagen production and tissue repair . Both these nutrients play an important role in maintaining the health of the skin, as well as the mucous membranes that protect organs like the respiratory tract.

Is fennel healthier cooked or raw?

Fresh (raw or cooked) fennel offers the most nutritional value . (4,12) The possible benefits of fennel supplements, teas, and essential oils are less certain.

Tomato Fennel Gratin Recipe (2024)

Mar 30, 2022 by Sylvie · This post may contain affiliate links

Gluten-FreeGrain-FreeVegetarianNut-FreeEgg-FreeNo Refined Sugar

Jump to Recipe

Slices of fennel and sweet tomatoes are baked in a creamy sauce with hints of Parmesan cheese in this vegetable gratin.

A warm gratin is a bubbling dish of soothing comfort, with the magic all happening as it bakes and bubbles in the heat of the oven. And really, gratins are all about the ingredients, and the creaminess that binds them together; this one is simple as can be.

Thinly sliced ripe tomatoes are joined by the subtle anise notes of fennel, salty black olives, a dollop of crème fraiche and a good grating of Parmesan to top it all off.

A subtly sweet and silky tangle of fennel and cream provides a nice bed for the tomatoes to rest on. When baked together, the tiles of tomatoes soften and slump together just slightly under the heat, their flavor concentrating and intensifying.

After a brief steam (making it softer and less assertive than in raw form) the fennel cooks down even further into creamy pockets of sauce underneath the tomatoes. Crusty and golden brown, the Parmesan topping adds another layer of depth to the dish.

The seductively rich taste of the fennel baked in the creamy sauce is offset by the sweet acidity of the tomatoes and the brininess from the scattered bits of olives.

It’s surprisingly creamy yet light and well-suited for making the slow transition from summer to fall. It’s the kind of dish that will be making a frequent appearance at my dinner table on those sunny days followed by cool evenings as we head into the next season.

Yield: 4 Servings

Tomato Fennel Gratin Recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Slices of fennel are baked in a cream sauce and topped with tomatoes, olives and a good grating of Parmesan in this rustic gratin.

Ingredients

4 or 5 small Roma tomatoes
1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs, stalks removed
2oz/ 56g crème fraiche
2 TB/30g of black olive tapenade (store bought or homemade)
½ cup/56g finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino (divided)
A handful of fresh thyme leaves
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Slice tomatoes into ¼-inch thick slices. If your tomatoes are very juicy, layer the tomato slices into a colander, sprinkle with a few pinches of salt and drain excess moisture from the tomatoes for 20 minutes.
Trim fennel bulbs and halve lengthwise through the core, and thinly slice each half.
Fit a pan with a steamer basket and several inches of water. Steam fennel for 8 to 10 minutes or until fennel is tender.
In a bowl, toss together steamed fennel, crème fraiche, olive tapenade, half of the thyme leaves and Parmesan; season with salt and pepper.
Butter the bottom of a small baking or gratin dish.
Place fennel mixture at the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange the tomato slices over the fennel in overlapping rows. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and thyme leaves.
Bake at 35o for 20 to 25 minutes, uncovered until the cheese starts to brown and the gratin is bubbling. Let rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Gluten Free, Grain Free, Vegetarian, Primal

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

Serves 4
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 177Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 428mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 4gSugar: 4gProtein: 6g

Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Did you make this recipe?

Please rate it, leave a comment below, or Pin it for later.

Sylvie

Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

Doreen says
December 11, 2019 at 2:42 pm
This is delicious! Salty, briney and tangy. Have made multiple times.
Reply
Michelle says
February 23, 2013 at 1:47 pm
See Also
Mandarin Orange Salad Recipe - 30 minutes meals
I googled around looking for recipes for fennel as I had some delivered in my farm delivery and had never made it before. Usually I give away my fennel because I'm worried about that licorice scent it gives off (not a big fan of licorice).
I'm not very savvy in the kitchen and this looked like something I could make, never mind it looked incredibly delicious AND was a primal-approved recipe, so I thought, well, let's give it a try...
I made it this morning and WOW! SO GOOD! It's all I can do not to go in and eat the rest of it AND lick the dish I baked it in!
Thank you so much!
Reply
- Sylvie says
  February 23, 2013 at 8:55 pm
  I'm so happy to hear that, I'm very glad you enjoyed it!
  Reply
Marisa says
January 28, 2013 at 7:24 pm
Made this tonight. AMAZING. We just gobbled up the whole thing. Next time, I'll double the recipe. Thank you so much!
Reply
- Sylvie says
  January 30, 2013 at 10:25 pm
  So glad you liked it!
  Reply
Sam says
September 29, 2012 at 9:26 am
Made this last night for a group dinner and it was a hit.
Reply
- Sylvie says
  September 29, 2012 at 12:38 pm
  That's wonderful, I'm so glad everyone enjoyed it!
  Reply
Shelly says
September 24, 2012 at 12:53 pm
Mmmm! Looks so delicious!
Reply

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