Creamy Fennel Bruschetta
Everyone loves things on toast.
by Erin Henderson
Fennel is an unsung vegetable of fall.
A cool-weather vegetable that’s peak season starts in October, it’s been bullied out of the limelight by autumn’s official mascot, butternut squash. Despite fennel's sturdiness and ability to work in everything from salads to soups to gratins, it has taken a quiet backseat over the years. When I served it at a dinner party a little while ago, no one knew what it was.
It may have fallen out of favour because of its intense licorice taste when raw; not something everyone appreciates, myself included. But, when marinaded in a bright dressing for salad, or braised or roasted for a side dish, that dominating anise note fades, and fennel becomes almost sweet.
Like all root vegetables, these white-green orbs last forever in the fridge, making it a leading contender for weekly, or even bi-weekly, grocery hauls when the frosty air does little to inspire a last-minute run to the store.
But unlike its earthy colleagues – rutabaga, squash, parsnip et al. – fennel brings a brightness to the party. A member of the Apiaceae family, fennel is related to carrots, dill, caraway, and cumin, all aromatic plants grown for edible shoots, leaves, roots, and seeds.
While it’s harvested fall to early spring, fennel is available all year round, thank to green houses and other technology that is a mix of amazing and frightening. So, that snappy hint of licorice loans itself well to warm weather cooking as well. Not many of us crave robust squash on 20-degree, sunny days, but fennel can slide in nicely.
When I was in Italy, taking a cooking class in Umbria, we started each session with a snack and glass of wine. Very civilized. One aperitivo featured creamy fennel, braised to nearly pulp, heaped on toast. It was glorious.
Creamy Fennel Bruschetta
In Canada, where I live, we think of bruschetta as garlicky tomatoes on bread. But in Italy, bruschetta refers to anything on toast. This fennel option is a refreshing delight from the usual tomato offering. I leave it as is, but in Italy we had it topped with bottarga (salted and cured tuna roe) or anchovies.
Makes: about 12 toasts (roughly 3 inches)
Chef level: easy
Ingredients:
- 2 ½ lbs fennel (about 2 small or 1 large) trimmed of the stalks, and the round bulb cut into thin wedges, leaving the root intact (reserve the stalks for veg or chicken stock, and the wispy green fonds for garnish)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 20g/1½Tbsp salted butter
- 2 garlic cloves (1 Tbsp/5g), minced
- ½ tsp chili flakes, optional
- ¾ cup 10% heavy cream
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Sourdough or baguette, toasted
How to Make It:
- Trim the fennel, removing any tough fiberous outer layers and chop into bite-sized pieces.
- Set up a large pot of water to boil. Add salt and cook the fennel until soft, about 5 mins.
- Drain fennel.
- Melt the butter in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and chilis stirring, until fragrant and lightly coloured, about 30 seconds.
- Add the drained fennel and cook a further 1-2 minutes until the fennel is coated.
- Pour in the heavy cream, stirring frequently, until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5-6 minutes.
- Add in lemon zest.
- Adjust for seasoning, adding a squirt of lemon juice or more salt if necessary, and spoon fennel mixture on toasts.
- Top with reserved fronds and serve.
Wine Pairing
Chardonnay, all the way. The butter and creamy in this dish, as well as the toasted bread, begs to be paired with a suitable partner. Chardonnay, especially those from Burgundy or Ontario, are in the weight class to stand up to the rich fennel.
