Make the most of fab fennel

I have a problem with the way people describe fennel seeds: licorice-like. I am not sure I agree.

I am not the biggest fan of licorice, but I love fennel seeds. To me, they have hints of anise and even a touch of green cardamom. Now, fennel bulbs — well, they are very strong-tasting and do remind me of licorice, but with the texture of celery.

Fennel seeds look very similar to cumin seeds, but are slightly bigger and green in color. They are highly aromatic and used in cultures around the world. In India, they are used in curries, breads and drinks. Raw fennel seeds are said to aid digestion, which is why you'll often see a bowl of them by the door of Indian restaurants.

In Italy, fennel is used to flavor cured meats. It is said that in ancient Rome, Pliny the Elder "called for them to be chewed to wake the mind and relieve flatulence."Chinese five-spice powder uses fennel as an ingredient, as do some blends of herbes de Provence.

I once spoke with the legendary Nathalie Dupree about her love for fennel.

"I first met it in 1970 in England,"she told me. She fell so in love with the taste that she planted fennel in front of her restaurant, Nathalie's, in Georgia. "I love everything about fennel — the way it looks in my garden, the aroma from its delicate slim fronds brushing against me as I walk, the rays coming out from its center, holding seeds that burst with flavor."

The plant reseeds well and so it grew and grew. "It is such a giving plant — it keeps on giving. Just like the Energizer bunny! I would give the plant, seeds and fronds to my customers."she said.

She loves to grind the seeds fresh, as that gives the most flavor. She uses the ground seed in bread doughs, and both fronds and seeds in salads. She stuffs the cavity of fish with the fronds and grinds the seeds on top, and adds fennel seeds to fish stock, fish stews, chicken stews — particularly with tomato and garlic — and pork dishes. "Really, the question is what not to use it in," she laughed.

Dupree loves to use the stalks as a base for grilling fish. She and I agree that the bulbs can be thinly sliced as a great raw addition to any salad. You can saute, roast or braise them for a milder flavor. The leafy parts make a great garnish.

Mark Bittman, in "How to Cook Everything," advises using fennel in place of celery — as long as you know, he says, that while the texture is the same, the taste is very different. In fact, if you're making a pasta sauce with sweet Italian sausage (already flavored with fennel seed), you can substitute chopped fennel stalks for celery to really bump up the flavor.

The fennel bulbs, often mistakenly labeled "anise bulbs," are white in color, round and have green stalks that look like celery and gentle leafy fronds that look like very feathery dill. Be sure that the bulbs are firm and not brown when you buy them. You can store fresh fennel in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to a week.

And this last word from Dupree shows why I don't agree with people who say it tastes like licorice: "So many people don't like licorice, and so shy away from (fennel). I have learned not to tell people I am using it and then find them saying, 'Oh this is delicious, what is it?' "

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH FENNEL

Serves 2

1 medium head cauliflower (about 1 ¼ to 1 ½ pounds)

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 ½ tablespoons Fennel-Chile Dry Rub (see below)

½ tablespoon coriander seeds, crushed

¼ teaspoon table salt, to start

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the cauliflower into 1-inch florets and place in a large bowl. Drizzle with the oil and toss with your hands to coat each floret.

In a small bowl, combine the dry rub, coriander and salt. Add the spice mixture to the cauliflower. Once again, no tool is better than your hands. Get in there and make sure all the florets are well coated.

Place the cauliflower on a baking sheet and spread out evenly in a single layer. Don't worry if it is a little crowded. If you really cannot fit it on one sheet, use two.

Bake for about 15 minutes. Stir and bake for another 15 minutes or until the cauliflower is well-browned and cooked through. Serve hot.

FENNEL-CHILE DRY RUB

Makes about ¼ cup

¼ cup fennel seeds

4 whole dried red chilies

½ teaspoon ground peppercorns (use a medley of different colored peppercorns)

Heat a small dry skillet over medium heat. Add the fennel seeds. Toss until the seeds are fragrant. This takes just about 1 minute, so watch them carefully and keep tossing the seeds in the pan or they will burn.

Add the chilies and toss for another 5 seconds.

Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Grind to a coarse powder in a spice grinder. Add the peppercorns and mix well.

Store, covered, until needed.

— Monica Bhide, from her book "Modern Spice"(Simon & Schuster, 2009)

Monica Bhide: monica@monicabhide.com