Braised Fennel and Leek with citrus and thyme.
Braised Fennel and Leek with citrus and thyme.
I love fennel, chomping on it raw when fresh, a bit of aioli or a pinch of salt. You either relish this raw for the full flavor reminiscent of liquorice, or enjoy it cooked for a silkier experience, which also renders the flavors more subtle with anise aromatics.
Serve with pan fried fish, rice, roasts, or as a side dish. With the citrus and hot honey and vinegar this is a sweet, sour aromatic delight. Aliesha.
Ingredients:
- One Streamside Fennel bulb, sliced into 8ths through the middle, lengthwise.
- One Streamside Leek, sliced into fat rounds (1.5 cm thick
- One yen Ben Lemon, ½ sliced into thin slices, half juiced.
- One tangelo
- 60g butter
- 20g olive oil
- Thyme a few sprigs.
- Hot honey optional
- Dash of Apple cider vinegar 30 ml+ olive oil 30 ml and fennel fronds
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 210 degrees. Trim the small stalks and fronds off the bulb and reserve for dressing. Boil a pot of water and boil fennel for 4 mins. Drain.
- Place an oven ready saute pan on medium heat, with butter and oil, melt. Add fennel on the sliced cross section and sear until golden, flip, and then nestle leek in between the fennel and sear on one side, and flip and sear.
- Then add Lemon slices and thyme.
- Add lemon and tangelo juice, reduce for 1 minute on the stove top.
- Season with a pinch of salt and place in the oven until golden and seared on the top. Can be 15 mins, if you need to finish on grill- go for it. A little bit of caramelization cannot hurt!
- Dressing- you can blitz the olive oil and the apple cider vinegar with the fennel fronds and small stalks, on a Nutri bullet or what have you, and drizzle atop a small amount on the Braised Fennel with a few spoons of hot honey,fresh thyme and serve.