Employee Picks – Bronze Fennel

Every Month we bring you ‘Employee Picks‘ where one of our Nurtured team will choose their favourite product and share with you all why they think it’s a must have in the kitchen and what they would pair it with.

Our Head of Customer Relations, Daisy explains why Bronze Fennel is her favourite product this season:

“I like this because its very sweet with a liquorice flavour, so it can be used raw as garnished, braised or caramelized”

Daisy is always up to date with all of our products here at Nurtured in Norfolk and went on to say..

“Bronze Fennel can also be pureed for soups and pairs well with fish and cream”

Some other ways to use this versatile edible leave would be to pair the powerful liquorice-like aromatics and flavours with ingredients such as leeks, garlic, shallots, root vegetables, bacon, tomatoes, fresh cheeses, herbs and spices. Bronze fennel stems may be steamed or grilled and pair well with fish, pork and poultry dishes.

Daisy’s Top Tips…

• Chop fronds over roasting potatoes or vegetables.
• Grind the fronds with oil, salt and garlic into a pesto to slather over seafood or meats.
• Infuse oil with the foliage for a gourmet drizzle.
• Add the fronds to garnish sweet desserts.
• Use in breads and cakes.

Did you know…

Bronze Fennel has a fair source of vitamin A, vitamin C, niacin and potassium, fennel contains small amounts of calcium, iron, protein, carbohydrates and provides great dietary fibre.

Fennel is most popular and used a great deal in French and Italian cuisine. The leaves are used most especially with fish and salads and also finely chopped in sauces. But be careful when useful fresh fennel leaves, sometimes they need to be pair with other strong flavours otherwise it will dominate.

Bronze fennel have medicinal uses, the romans would use this leave as a digestive aid, while in traditional Chinese medicine, fennel was used to treat snake bites.