The delicious perfume of the sweet pea ranks it way at the top of my list of favorite flowers. I was delighted to discover, years ago, that it is native to Sicily. Most of the hybrids that are grown in gardens today originated with the Sicilian native. On my walks to the rocky shoreline in Castellemmare I picked small bouquets of the wildflowers. In that respect I certainly was quite an oddity.
The sweet peas grew alongside Vipers Bugloss, Artemesia, shoulder high Euphorbia and, of course, fennel. I was surprised at the crossover of similarity in the diversity of wildflowers / weeds to be found there. Some plants I had never encountered... or more correctly ... had encountered only their new world relatives.
One of the most widespread of the weeds to be found was wild fennel. I don't know if it became wild as an escapee from cultivation or if it was brought into cultivation from the wild. Three to four foot feathery plumes of foliage were visible everywhere.
And the taste! It was by far the most intense anise flavor.
I added thin slices of fennel to every salad I made. Crisp and refreshing.
Traditionally, fennel was something eaten at the end of the meal. Cut into quarters, it was eaten as a refreshing digestive.
It was only years later that I thought to cook fennel. braised. roasted. grilled.
My all time favorite recipe that uses fennel is from Annie Sommerville's Fields of Green.
Potato, Fennel and Leek Gratin
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 large leeks, white parts only, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced, and washed, about 4.5 cups
1 teaspoon ground fennel seed
salt and pepper
2 Large fennel bulbs, quartered lengthwise, cored, and thinly sliced, about 4 cups
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs: Italian parsley, thyme, marjoram
1 cup cream
1cup milk
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
3 fresh thyme sprigs
3 parsley sprigs
2 ounces provolone, grated, about 3/4 cup
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated, about 2/3 cup
1 1/2 pounds large Yellow Finn or red potatoes
12 Nicoise or Gaeta olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
Heat oil in a large skillet; add the leeks, ground fennel, 1/2 tsp salt, and a few pinches pepper. Saute over medium heat until the leeks are heated through, then cover the pan and steam until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the sliced fennel, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt; saute until the fennel is tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl and toss with half the chopped herbs.
While the leeks and fennel are sauteing, pour the cream and milk into a small saucepan; add the bay leaf, peppercorns, whole fennel seed, and herb sprigs. Steep the cream over low heat for 20 minutes. Pour through a strainer and season with 1/4 tsp salt.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly oil a 9 x 13 baking dish. Mix the cheeses. thinly slice the potatoes and layer one-third of them in the bottom of the dish, overlapping the slices and rows as you go. Sprinkle the potatoes generously with salt and pepper, followed by the olives, half the leeks and fennel, and one-third of the cheese. Make another layer of potatoes, followed by salt and pepper, the remaining leeks and fennel and one-third of the cheese. Top with the final layer of potatoes and pour the hot cream over. Cover the dish and bake for40 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake, uncovered, until the potatoes are very tender and the gratin turns golden and a little crisp, another 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining chopped herbs before serving.
serves six
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