Ribollia

From Epicurious

Ribollita is a classic Tuscan soup that's made up of vegetable soup mixed with pieces of rustic bread. This version is packed with veggies—white beans, kale, chard, potatoes, tomatoes—and served with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil

Ingredients

• 13 cups (or more) water, divided
• 1 1/4 cups dried cannellini (white kidney beans; about 8 ounces) (or sub canned, cooked beans-add at end)
• 12 large fresh sage leaves
• 8 garlic cloves; 5 sliced, 3 chopped
• 2 teaspoons (or more) fine sea salt, divided
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus additional for drizzling
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 large celery stalks, diced
• 1 medium carrot, chopped
• 1 large unpeeled Yukon Gold potato, scrubbed, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, quartered through core, sliced crosswise
• 1 large pinch of dried thyme
• 1 small bunch black kale,* cut crosswise into 1-inch ribbons (about 6 cups)
• 1 small bunch green chard (about 4 large leaves), center stem removed, cut crosswise into 1-inch-wide          ribbons (about 6 cups)
• 4 cups thinly sliced savoy cabbage
• 5 large plum tomatoes, chopped
• 1 2-inch square Parmesan cheese rind
• Pinch of dried crushed red pepper
• 2 cups (or more) Light Vegetable Broth or good-quality canned vegetable broth (such as Swanson)
• 6 1/2-inch-thick slices country white bread, coarsely torn with crusts

Directions

Combine 8 cups water, beans, sage, and sliced garlic in large saucepan. Bring to boil; reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until beans are tender, stirring occasionally and adding more water by 1/4 cupfuls to keep beans submerged, 2 to 2 1/2 hours, depending on age of beans. Add 1 teaspoon sea salt; simmer 10 minutes. Uncover and cool beans in liquid. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill in cooking liquid.

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion; sprinkle with sea salt. Cook until onion is translucent, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add chopped garlic; stir 2 minutes. Add celery, carrot, potato, fennel, and thyme; cook until vegetables are tender and begin to turn brown in spots, stirring often, 15 to 18 minutes. Add kale, chard, cabbage, tomatoes, Parmesan rind, 5 cups water, and 1 teaspoon sea salt. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Add beans with cooking liquid and crushed red pepper. Add 2 cups broth. Season with salt and generous amount of pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, cover, and chill. Rewarm before continuing.

Add bread to soup and simmer, stirring often to break up bread into smaller pieces and adding more broth by 1/2 cupfuls to thin, if desired. Season with sea salt and pepper.

Divide ribollita among bowls, drizzle with oil, and serve.

Carrot Fennel Soup

From Gourmet

Ingredients

• 2 medium fennel bulbs with fronds
• 1 pound carrots, quartered lengthwise
• 1 medium onion, quartered
• 1 garlic clove
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 2 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds

• Equipment: an electric coffee/spice grinder

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in lowest position.

Chop enough fennel fronds to measure 1 tablespoon and reserve. Discard stalks and remaining fronds. Slice bulbs 1/4 inch thick and toss with carrots, onion, garlic, 3 tablespoons oil, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread in a 4-sided sheet pan and roast, stirring occasionally, until browned and tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

Blend half of vegetables in a blender with broth until very smooth. Transfer to a medium saucepan. Repeat with remaining vegetables and water. Thin to desired consistency with extra water and simmer 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, finely grind fennel seeds in grinder and stir into remaining 2 tablespoons oil. 3Serve soup drizzled with fennel oil and sprinkled with reserved fronds.

Cooks’ notes: Soup can be made 1 day ahead and chilled. Fennel oil can be made 2 days ahead and kept at room temperature.

Tangy Apple Fennel Slaw

From Inspired Taste

Ingredients

• 3 Granny Smith apples, thinly sliced
• 1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon cream-style prepared horseradish
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• Lemon peel strips, if desired

Directions

In large bowl, place apples and fennel.

 In small bowl, mix lemon juice, horseradish, oil, honey, salt and pepper until blended. Pour over apples and fennel; toss to coat. Garnish with lemon peel.

Fennel Green Beans

Ingredients:

• 3 cups thin green beans
• 1/2 cup sliced fennel bulb
• 1/2 medium onion, sliced
• 1 fresh tomato, seeds and excess pulp removed, chopped
• 2 TBS fresh lemon juice
• 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Slice onion and let sit during step 2.
2. Bring water to a boil in a steamer with a tight fitting lid.
3. Cut ends off beans and cut into 1-2 inch pieces. Slice fennel.
4. Steam beans and onion together for about 3 minutes, then add fennel. Steam for another 2 minutes. Drain well and pat with paper towel so any excess water does not dilute taste.
5. Toss with rest of ingredients.

Antipasto Salad with Fennel

Ingredients

• 2 cups carrots, turned
• 1-1/2 cups thickly sliced celery
• 1 cup fresh sliced fennel bulb
• 2 TBS rinsed and quartered Kalamata olives
• 2 TBS capers, rinsed

Dressing

• 1-1/2 tsp dried Italian mixed herbs
• 2 medium cloves garlic, pressed
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
• 1-1/2TBS fresh lemon juice
• extra virgin olive oil to taste

Directions

1. Press garlic and let sit during step 2.
2. Bring water to boil in steamer and add carrots and steam for 4 minutes. Add celery and fennel and steam for just 1 more minute.
3. Remove from heat and place in a bowl with capers and olives.
4. Whisk all dressing ingredients together, drizzling olive oil at end a little at a time.
5. Toss with vegetables and marinate for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Fennel - Produce Notes, Storage, and Nutrition

Fennel- Fennel, or Foeniculum vulgare, is part of the Apiaceae family of vegetables. Other members in the family include carrots, parsley, celery, dill, and cilantro. Fennel is a fragrant and flavorful herb that has many uses in the culinary world, but is most often associated with Mediterranean dishes. This particular variety of fennel is Florence fennel, or F. vulgare var.azoricum, the development of which dates back to Italy in the 17th century. 

There are three parts to fennel, all of which are edible and easily used in recipes. The bulbs of fennel are versatile and can be shredded to put into salads or side dishes, braised, pureed into a soup or sauce, or even grilled. The stalks are similar to celery stalks in texture and crunchiness, and can be sliced and added to a green salad, or added to a stir-fry along with your onions. The fennel leaves, or fronds, look similar to a dill leaf, but thinner. The leaves have a sweet licorice-like anise flavor and are used to garnish a variety of meals and even desserts.

Special notes on storage and handling- Store fresh fennel in the refrigerator crisper, where it should keep fresh for 1-2 weeks. However, it is best to eat your fennel soon because as it ages, it tends to gradually lose its flavor.

How to cut fennel:
1. Lay fennel flat and cut the stalks and fronds off the bulb.
2. Set the bulb on its flat bottom, then cut it in half.
3. Set the fennel halves cut side down. Cut each half perpendicular to the fibers into your preferred thickness.  

Nutrition                                                                                                                                                                           

Fennel is a good source of fiber, folate, potassium, antioxidants, and an excellent surce of vitamin C.