Fennel: season and benefits
Seasonal calendar - Fennel
Nutritional values
Good source of fibre (3.1 g) and vitamin C, fennel also contains anethole with digestive properties.
Storage
Fennel keeps 5 to 7 days in the fridge vegetable drawer, in a perforated bag. Keep the fronds (green leaves) separate as they wilt faster. Use them as a herb. Braised fennel freezes well. Raw, dress with lemon to prevent oxidation.
Origin
Fennel originates from the Mediterranean basin. Greeks called it "marathron" and it is from this word that Marathon gets its name, the plain being covered in wild fennel. Romans consumed it as both vegetable and condiment. The bulb fennel we know was developed in Italy during the Renaissance. It remains a pillar of Provençal and Italian cooking.
Cooking Fennel
Goes well with
Recipe ideas
- Fennel and orange salad
- Braised fennel
- Fennel gratin with Parmesan
- Fennel soup
- Lemon-roasted fennel
Did you know?
The city of Marathon, famous for the race, takes its name from the Greek "marathron" meaning fennel, as the plain was covered with it.