Braised Fennel With Olives Recipes

BRAISED FENNEL WITH PEPPERS AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Remove stalks and any browned outer layers of the fennel and cut each bulb into quarters lengthwise. Cut off and discard core from each piece. Holding the layers together, cut each fennel piece into one-quarter-inch slices lengthwise, to obtain long strips.
• Cut peppers in half lengthwise and remove core and ribs. Cut in half crosswise and cut each quarter into lengthwise strips about one-quarter inch wide.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over low heat. Add fennel and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Add peppers. Cover and continue cooking about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Taste and adjust seasonings but be cautious with the salt because the olives will add some saltiness.
• Transfer fennel and peppers to a platter, top with olives and serve.

FENNEL BRAISED WITH OLIVE OIL AND LEMON

Steps:

• Trim the tops and bottoms from the fennel bulbs, reserving a handful of the fronds. Quarter the bulbs. Set each quarter on its side and slice off most of the core. Cut the quarters into wedges about 1-inch thick (don't worry if some pieces fall off the wedge-use those too).
• In a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Add the fennel and cook, without stirring, until golden brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Stir and let some more pieces brown for a minute or two.
• Stir in 1/2 cup water, scraping the bottom of the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat to medium and cover the pan. Simmer, shaking the pan and adding more liquid occasionally if the pan is dry, until the fennel is very tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, chop the reserved fennel fronds and mix them with the lemon zest.
• When the fennel is tender, stir in the lemon juice and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the olives, remove from the heat and let stand for about 1 minute to warm the olives. Transfer the fennel to a platter. Sprinkle the fennel frond mixture over the top, drizzle with additional olive oil and serve.

BRAISED HALIBUT WITH FENNEL IN PUTTANESCA SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and fennel and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Stir the garlic into the vegetables and cook 1 more minute, then stir in the oregano and red pepper flakes. Pour in the wine and cook, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until most of the wine evaporates, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, lemon zest, olives, capers and brine and sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 4 minutes.
• Season the fillets with salt and pepper, nestle them in the sauce and transfer the skillet to the oven. Cook until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork, about 10 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with parsley.

BRAISED FENNEL WITH OLIVES

Steps:

• With a vegetable peeler, remove any fibrous strings from the fennel. Slice the vegetables lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices. Cut the slices crosswise into 1-inch pieces. In a 10-inch skillet, over moderate heat, combine the olive oil and onion. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent; about 5 minutes. Add 3/4 of the diced fennel, the water, fennel seed, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 20 minutes. Stir in the reserved fennel, olives, and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve at once.

BRAISED FISH WITH FENNEL, TOMATOES AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Combine first 5 ingredients in metal baking pan. Season fish with salt and pepper; place atop vegetables. Cover with foil. Bake until fish is just cooked through, about 15 minutes.
• Using spatula, transfer fish to plate; cover with foil and keep warm. Place baking pan with vegetables atop stovetop burner; bring to boil. Boil until liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Mix in lemon juice, oil and 1 tablespoon basil. Season with salt and pepper.
• Place one fish fillet on each of 4 plates. Top with vegetable mixture, dividing equally. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons basil and olives.