Finocchio a la Grecque (Greek Fennel)

This is an excellent way to cook fennel for an antipasta plate. The recipe is adapted from Nika Hazelton’s 1976 The Unabridged Vegetable Cookbook (ISBN 978-0871312136). If you have leftovers, remember that like many antipasti it makes a superb addition to pasta salads. Just make sure to chop the fennel wedges.

3 cups dry white wine
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ teaspoon lemon extract
2 bay leaves
½ teaspoon coriander seed
½ teaspoon dry thyme leaf
4 large fennel heads, cored and cut lengthwise into eighths
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine the wine, olive oil, tomato paste, lemon extract, bay, coriander, and thyme in a heavy pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and add in the fennel. Simmer, covered, until the fennel is tender but still firm, anywhere from 15-30 minutes. Remove cooked fennel to a serving dish. Increase heat to medium-high and reduce the cooking liquid to 1/3 of its original volume. Remove the bay leaves and pour over the cooked fennel. Allow to cool to room temperature before serving.

Finocchio a la Grecque (Greek Fennel)

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