25 Truly Fabulous Fennel Recipes

Often likened in taste to licorice, fennel is in fact far more subtle with a texture similar to celery, and, unlike licorice, the flavor is savory, not sweet. Raw, fennel is cool and crunchy. Cooked, fennel turns mellow and the flesh softens; it is wonderful alongside fish or chicken or tossed with pasta.

In Season: Fennel season lasts from mid-fall to early spring.

What to Look For: Fennel is easily identifiable: It has a fat white bulb (like an onion) and a feathery top of green stalks and fluffy fronds (though some grocers cut these parts off). Choose firm, greenish-white fennel bulbs with no soft or brown spots. If the fronds are still attached to the bulb, they should be bright green with no signs of wilting.

How to Store: Wrapped in a paper bag and refrigerated, fennel can last three to five days. But, as bulbs tend to dry out over time, it's best to use them as soon as possible.

How to Trim and Core: Whether served raw or cooked, fennel bulbs must be trimmed first. Cut the stalks from the top of the bulb, then remove any tough outer layers. Some recipes call for the removal of the triangular core. This can easily be done with a paring knife. Fennel trimmings don't have to be thrown away. Sprinkled fronds are regularly used as a garnish for soups, stews, and pastas. The stalks add flavor to stocks or roasted poultry or fish (stuff them into the cavity).

Raw fennel wedges make a sophisticated finger food when topped with hunks of good-quality Parmigiano-Reggiano and finished with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper.

We love the contrast of textures and flavors in this sensational side dish. Fennel is simmered in a bath of orange and pomegranate juices, garlic, and chicken broth until silky, then served with fresh mint, fennel fronds, toasted hazelnuts, and pomegranate seeds.

This flavorful dinner-party dish combines sweet Italian sausage, kielbasa, red potatoes, fennel, and littleneck clams. Serve with slices of crusty bread so that your guests can mop up every last drop of the delectable sauce made from Pernod, clam juice, tomatoes, and tarragon.

Wild salmon doesn't need much to impress -- just this simple, lively relish made with fennel, green olives, red onion, fresh parsley, lemon juice, and chile de arbol.

Very thinly sliced celery, fennel, and zucchini are tossed with butter beans and a simple white-wine vinaigrette, then chilled for an hour to allow the flavors to develop in this fuss-free salad. Stir in toasted almonds just before serving.

Fennel and celery are cooked until tender and golden, then tossed with whole-wheat pasta, lemon zest, and canned sardines in this light dinner. It's ready in just 25 minutes!

Fennel wedges, Italian cherry peppers, and olives are given a quick turn in the oven before being served alongside juicy pork loin encrusted with a fennel, coriander, and black peppercorn rub.

Crisp fennel complements the chewy, nutty farro in this salad. Radicchio, fresh mint, and lemon juice make the dish bright and refreshing.

Meaty striped bass joins fennel, cherry tomatoes, and Kalamata olives under the broiler in this 30-minute sheet-pan supper.

Simply dress fennel, cucumber, grapefruit, and fresh chives and tarragon with a litte olive oil and lemon juice to make a spectacular topping for tender, caramelized scallops.

Thinly sliced fennel is teamed with crisp red and yellow Belgian endive, buttery toasted walnuts, and sweet-tart pomegranate seeds in this stunning winter salad.

Tahini, lemon zest and juice, and applesauce make an intriguing dressing for this sweet and savory slaw that's served atop flaky trout.

All you need are chicken broth, lemon wedges, and half an hour to turn fennel and potatoes into a flavor-packed side dish.