Qui est arrive avant, le fenouil ou l’oeuf?  Blanquette de fenouil et tomates aux capres et oeuf mollet

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A lot of people are not very fond of vegetables because they only think about the traditional way of cooking them….steamed or sauté. Even though steaming is a very healthy way to cook, but it is quite boring on the long term, and I might feel the same way if I only ate steamed or sautéed vegetables.  Vegetables are the most wonderful things to eat, and you can accommodate and cook them in so many delicious ways. So you can enjoy yourself and stay healthy, so that is everyone ultimate goal, isn’t it?

This Fennel dish reminds me of my mom’s recipe. It’s something she made often for me when I was a child, sometimes she would add some fresh fava beans, or fresh peas and it was delicious.  I love fennel and anything that tastes like licorice. When I was about 10-12 years old, I remember all the kids would chew on that licorice stick (baton de reglisse) that you kept in your mouth for hours as if it was a cigarette, and we thought it was so cool.

In the the Mediterranean region, fennel is quite a popular vegetable, excellent as a fish accompaniment, or as a puree, or even with feta cheese and olives.  Fennel’s fruits are also used to make liquors as Pastis or Sambuca, in desserts, in salami flavoring. Besides, the use in the food industry, it is also found in herbal remedies to treat upset stomach, flatulence, colitis and so on.  So I think everyone should include it in a regular diet.

When you pick your fennel, make sure the bulb is nice and round like on the picture, and not flat and long, otherwise you will get a hard and unflavorful vegetable. You want a juicy, tender fennel.

Ingredients for 2 people as a main dish

  • 2 Fennel bulbs, sliced (first cut in half, then slice removing at the bottom, the middle hard core)
  • 5 small ripe tomatoes, diced and chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 ½ tbs capers
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • Parsley
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

In a pot, heat the olive oil, add the crushed garlic, stir for a few seconds, add the chopped tomatoes, cook for one minute or so, then add the fennel, the wine and the rinced capers. Cover and cook at low temperature until the fennel is cooked, it needs to be tender, for about ½ hour. When cooked break two eggs in the middle and cover until the eggs are hard. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with a slice of grilled country bread sprinkled with olive oil.