The goodness of fennel

Cinzia Cuneo 4 gennaio, 2011 mangiare sano, frutta, salute, ricette, verdure

Fennel is a plant that originated in the Mediterranean. It has been used as a vegetable and spice since ancient times. The Greeks and Romans were not only very fond of it, they also recognized its medicinal value, especially as an antidote to snake bites and scorpion stings.

Up until the 1970s, fennel was only cultivated in the Mediterranean basin. Nowadays however, it’s grown even in North America – although Italy remains the country that produces and consumes it the most.

Its mellow and slightly sweet taste is similar to that of anise or licorice (that’s why people sometimes call it anise by mistake). Rich in fibers, vitamins and minerals, it contains very few calories.

It is best consumed raw in salads, and as a side dish with fish or meat. When buying fennel, select small white or light green bulbs, which are firm and don’t have any yellowish marks on them.

Notes:

• It is widely available during winter.
• It can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week.

Try our recipe for Fennel and Orange Salad

Originally published in the Journal de Montréal on February 7, 2009.

Autori

Cinzia Cuneo

Italiana di nascita e canadese d'adozione, Cinzia ha deciso di coniugare le sue competenze professionali e la sua passione per la buona tavola sviluppando un servizio per aiutare i numerosi «aventi bisogno» a riprendere il controllo della loro alimentazione. Così è nata SOSCuisine. Ingegnere di formazione al Politecnico di Torino, Cinzia ha conseguito un Master's Degree in scienze applicate all'École Polytechnique de Montréal.