FENNEL

We generally try to feature a 'vegetable of the month' that is in season and locally grown. This month, we've failed in that fennel is an English summer vegetable (July to October) and the specimens here have come from the Mediterranean.

Fennel is a 'four for the price of one' vegetable.Growing above the ground is the herb -- the leaves which, used fresh or dried, contribute to pork, fish and cheese dishes, sauces and pickles. Use the stalks to place under grilled or barbecued fish. The seeds, which have the characteristic 'aniseed' taste, can be used in bread, in soups and even in cakes.

But most people think of fennel in terms of the white below-ground bulb. It's this that can be braised or roasted as a vegetable with a distinct flavour. But fennel is also refreshing and tasty grated as a salad ingredient. And, like most of the vegetables we feature, it makes a good soup (try the recipe at: www.jfc.org.uk/recipes/fennel_soup.htm).

Different varieties of the plant can be grown for the different parts -- one species for the herb, one for the bulb -- but in general, you'll do well enough from one variety. If you are growing it yourself, it's happy in most soils, but many other plants aren't too happy growing close to it, especially coriander or dill. Sow it in late spring, in the garden -- it doesn't transplant well. And remove unwanted seedlings as soon as you can: they're a devil to get out if they've taken hold! If you're not growing for the seeds, remove the flowers and promote a bushier leaf growth.

The more you learn about this vegetable, the more it seems like the 'palm tree' of the Fens -- there's nothing about the plant that can't be used. And the uses are by no means limited to cooking! Made up as a tea, it relieves indigestion, and stimulates the flow of breast milk. It's an effective treatment for respiratory congestion, and is often found as an ingredient in cough medicines.

And chew the seeds to freshen your breath!

 

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