2 large stalks anise (fennel)
1 clove garlic, quartered
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp butter
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
1/3 cup beef stock or bouillon
1/2 tsp sweet basil
Directions
There is a bit of confusion about these two plants. For some
reason,the fennel plant, which resembles celery with fern like tops,
has been called sweet anise in produce markets. The true anise is
cultivated only for its seeds. So what you see labelled "sweet anise"
in your market is probably fennel, but no matter what you call it,
this is a highly interesting vegetable. Every part of this aromatic
plant has a taste and aroma similar to licorice. The stems are eaten
like celery,uncook, or cooked and served as a vegetable (heavenly
with apples in waldorf salad) Available from September to May.
HOW TO CHOOSE AND STORE: Choose fennel the same way you do celery,
with crisp stalks and fresh leaves. Wash and store in vegetable
crisper or plastic bag in refrigerator.
BASIC PREPARATION: Trim the ferny tops and remove tough outer stalks.
Cut off heavy base. Slice the stalks in thin lengthwise strips.
Wash,drain and cook in boiling, salted water or bouillon until just
tender,15-20 minutes. Drain and add melted butter, salt and pepper
and serve.
Servings: 6 servings
Anise - Fennel Recipe brought to you by Recipe Ideas
Categories: Fruit; Meat; Soup; Soup And Stew; Vegetable
The History of Recipes
It is quite feasible to track the history of transcribed cooking instructions back into the far past, certainly as far back as the early Egyptians, and possibly even further than that. Interesting though that is, sadly, these early cook books were just simple pictorial instructions for meal preparation.
Interestingly, the oldest recipe in existence, according to experts in ancient history are a few clay tablets in the Sumerian language which show the baking of bread which is then used to make a drink, quite possibly a form of beer as it is recorded as having made anyone who tried it feel exhilarated and blissful. Moving on, we have two interesting books dating from the 14th Century - a book published under the title `Forme of Cury`, and another named `Curye on Inglish`. The titles are somewhat misleading tho`, these are unconnected to the indian curry that is served today, but rather descriptions of the types of meals served to the rich and powerful of the time. Later on in the 1400s, people returning from the crusades brought us many new foods and spices from Arab countries, including coriander, parsley, basil and rosemary. These new foods and tastes prompted an eruption in books on cookery, the majority of which still exist in private collections. For the next few years, the rich and powerful families of Europe tried to lay on the most extravagent banquests, and as a consequence, the best cooks and their collection of recipes were greatly in demand. However, it wasn`t until the 19th century that fine cooking and cookery books really came of age. The Famous Mrs Isabella Beeton in the UK, and the equally well-known Fannie Farmer in the US, dedicated their lives to assembling, verifying, and publishing the recipes that were being prepared for the better households. By the advent of the twentieth century, cookery publications are increasing in popularity as a result of more people being able to read, people having more spare time and having more money. The introduction of the TV brings us celebrity chefs and the demand for the spin-off recipe books. And that neatly brings us to the present day and the internet revolution, permitting everyone to search through thousands of recipes just like those on our site. |
We hope you enjoy this Anise Fennel recipe.
