Fennel A La Grecque Recipes

Steps:

• In a pot, bring the liquids, spices and herbs to just below a boil.
• Cook each vegetable, separated by type, in the seasoned liquid. Start with the onion, then fennel, then cauliflower or mushrooms, then celery. Cook each until it can be pierced with a knife and tastes delicious. As each batch is done, scoop it out with a slotted spoon or a hand-held sieve. Place on a cookie sheet to cool.
• If spices or bits of herb stick to the vegetables, put what you can back in the pot and don't worry about the rest - everything will marinate together, so things will redistribute. When all the vegetables are cooked, layer them in a 1-quart Mason jar - it looks nice if you do mushrooms, then onions and so on. Pour all of the cooking liquid over them, without straining. The olive oil in the liquid will rise to the top and create a seal.
• Serve alone as an hors d'oeuvre, or as part of a salad, or on little buttered toasts. Or in an omelet. Or in a sandwich. Anywhere, really, but in a strawberry tart. Refrigerate for up to a month.

Steps:

• Pull off a bit of the green fuzzy fronds, chop coarsely and save. Cut stalks off at bulbs. If needed use them to fresh broth's flavor.
• Peel outer fibers off bulb with a paring knife. If outermost layer is dried or cracked remove completely.
• Cut bulb in half lenghwise. Be sure to cut thorough the core forming at point of wedges. Leave this attached or the fennel will fall apart.
• Arrange in single layer in large pot. Slight overlap is ok. Pour on wine and oil. sprinkle on seeds and shallot.
• Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook 25 minutes. The fork should pierce the fennel but you should still feel slight resistance. Check after 15 minutes of cooking and add water if dry.
• Remove lid when done. If liquid is left turn heat to high and quickly boil down liquid. You only want 1/2 cup remaining.
• Sprinkle the cooked fennel with the salt, pepper and fronds. Serve hot on individual plates and spoon liquid over each. Or let cool and serve as other courses.

Steps:

• Clean and slice mushrooms.
• Combine remaining ingredients into a saucepan and cook until alcohol smell is gone.
• Combine all ingredients into a dish to marinate and leave in the refrigerator overnight.

Steps:

• In a 3- or 4-quart saucepan combine vinegar, wine, olive oil, garlic cloves, shallot, bouquet garni, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, peppercorns, kosher salt and 3 cups water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook 15 to 30 minutes while you prepare vegetables.
• Add carrots to the broth and simmer 5 minutes. Add cauliflower, bring back to a simmer, and cook another 15 minutes, until carrots and cauliflower are tender but not mushy. Using a slotted spoon, remove vegetables to a bowl. Some of the broth and seeds can come along with them.
• Add mushrooms to broth and simmer 5 minutes. Remove to bowl with carrots and cauliflower.
• Stir broth and ladle 11/2 cups plus some of the coriander seeds into a small saucepan. Set aside.
• Add artichoke hearts to the pot in which you cooked the other vegetables and simmer 25 to 30 minutes, until tender. Transfer to bowl with other cooked vegetables. If using artichoke leaves, steam them now. When finished, discard this broth.
• Bring reserved broth in the small saucepan to a boil and cook until liquid reduces to 1/2 cup. Pour over the vegetables, add lemon juice and fleur de sel and toss. Taste and adjust seasoning. Leave at room temperature until ready to serve (for best flavor, let vegetables marinate for a few hours), or refrigerate for up to 3 days. Just before serving, garnish with herbs and, if you wish, with steamed artichoke leaves, which can be dipped into the marinade. Serve on small plates with the reduced marinade spooned on top.