Especially those who often prepare dishes from Mediterranean cuisine often come across this delicious and special tuber:the fennel. Aside from the fact that it tastes really delicious, it is also extremely healthy because the vegetables contain B vitamins and iron, which, when combined, support the formation of blood. Fennel is known to help with bloating, pain and nausea thanks to the substances it contains. And since it's grilling season, we would like to offer you a special way to prepare the tuber. Have you ever thought of choosing fennel as a grilled vegetable? We explain how to prepare fennel, marinate it and then grill the fennel.
Grilling fennel - How do I prepare fennel vegetables?
Before you use fennel asVegetable side dish on the grillOf course, you have to prepare it properly. This includes cutting it and seasoning or marinating it. Above all, cutting should not be underestimated, because the correct way ensures that the individual leaves of the tuber do not fall apart. So, how do you cut fennel for the grill and how do I prepare fennel? We would like to explain all this to you at the beginning so that you can easily grill the fennel at the end.
How to cut fennel?
- Wash the fennel.
- Cut off the stems.
- Place the tuber in front of you and cut it in half lengthwise.
- You can then cut the two halves into wedges as shown in the instructions above.ImportantBut here's the thing: the stalk in the middle holds the individual layers together. If you remove this, the tuber will fall apart and the individual parts will be difficult or impossible to grill. That's why you have to make sure to cut each piece so that there is always a piece of the stalk with it. Like all other parts of the vegetable, this is edible.
Season the fennel vegetables and grill the fennel
How you properly prepare fennel vegetables before grilling the fennel is basically a matter of taste. You can prepare fennel plain on the grill, season it with dry spices or use the fennelmarinate and grill. Here are a few ideas:
Grilled Fennel by Jamie Oliver
Jamie Oliver's delicious recipe is not straight from the grill, but still grilled from the oven. The tuber is combined with tomatoes and gently cooked in the oven. This option with the oven proves to be very practical, especially if you have prepared other grilled food that takes time. You can then prepare the fennel bulb at the same time as the rest, so that everything comes to the table warm at the same time. Here's how you can grill fennelbased on Jamie Oliver:
- Fenchelknolle
- Cherry tomatoes
- Caraway seeds
- olive oil
- pepper and salt
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees. Prepare the tuber as described above and spread it in a baking dish. Distribute the tomatoes on top (whole or halved, as desired). Sprinkle them with the seeds, season with pepper and salt and drizzle everything with olive oil. Roast in the oven for about an hour until the vegetables are tender.
Grill Mediterranean fennel in sugar or honey
Would you like to grill spicy fennel? Then you canadd some sweetnessby marinating the vegetables in a sauce with sugar or honey. However, the grill should not be too hot as the marinade will burn quickly. In addition, olive oil should not be heated too much. How do I make fennel vegetables sweet?
- 3 fennel bulbs, cut into pieces as described
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp brown cane sugar
- Salt and pepper
Mix the oil with the sugar and season the mixture with pepper and salt. Then add the fennel pieces and mix everything together well so that the vegetables are completely covered. If you want, you can let everything sit for a while, but not too long as the vegetables quickly become mushy. Then the fennel is grilled. About 10 minutes should be enough for the vegetables to soften.
Would you rather grill fennel?with honey? Then simply replace the sugar with it! Since honey is sweeter, add just a small amount to the remaining ingredients at first and then gradually add more, tasting repeatedly until you reach the desired sweetness. You can garnish the finished tubers with the fennel greens.
Grilling fennel – Italian style recipe
Even if you grill the fennel without seasoning, it is advisable to at least grill it beforehandwith vegetable oil(e.g. olive oil). And how do you prepare fennel after grilling it plain? Then you have the choice: pepper and salt could be completely sufficient. Grilled fennel is also often drizzled with lemon juice and served with fresh, chopped parsley. But in principle, anything your heart desires is allowed - including ready-made spice mixtures. Or how about this idea for grilled pickled fennel Italian:
For 2 grilled fennel bulbs:
- 2 EL Balsamic-Dry
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- dried oregano
- Salt and pepper
The first thing you should do is grill the fennel and let it cool. Meanwhile, mix the ingredients and place them together with the fennel in a sealable plastic bag or a shallow bowl. You can let it sit for a bit to allow the vegetables to absorb the flavors, but not for too long or it will become mushy.
Fennel vegetables as a side dish
So you now know how to prepare bulbous fennel. But what does grilled fennel go with? On the one hand, fennel is served as a side dish with fish, but also with white meat. Of course, that doesn't mean that fans of pork and beef can't try it too. The delicacies are also very popular as a toppingfor hamburgers.
