Under ground part of the fennel

Yesterday I harvested my only fennel plant. It had a thick tap root that looked like parsnip or horseradish. I left it outside because there was a lot of soil clinging to the fine roots. Thinking I'll clean it later and try cooking it. This morning I found it mostly eaten by either raccoons or rabbits.

Anyone here know if it's good as human food or is it just good for animal feed?

Reply to
James
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Hello, James! You wrote on 5 Dec 2006 06:36:13 -0800:

J> Yesterday I harvested my only fennel plant. It had a thick J> tap root that looked like parsnip or horseradish. I left it J> outside because there was a lot of soil clinging to the fine J> roots. Thinking I'll clean it later and try cooking it. J> This morning I found it mostly eaten by either raccoons or J> rabbits.

J> Anyone here know if it's good as human food or is it just J> good for animal feed?

The rabbits or whatever were right! Try Googling for braised fennel. There are lots of good recipes.

James Silverton Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not

Reply to
James Silverton

It's a great treat. It can be sliced/julienned and used raw in salads. It can be cooked as well - I think it goes well with fish.

Reply to
Peter A

Are you talking about the white-ish green-ish bulb???

Reply to
JoeSpareBedroom

The bulb is edible and there is a variety of fennel that makes a big bulb. Never tried to eat the root of ordinary fennel, just use the tops for culinary use. Any decent seed catalog will have bulbing fennel in it. But, be warned, it's a taste that takes some getting used to, sort of like licorice. Both types of fennel grow easily in my USDA Zone 9b herb garden.

George

Reply to
George Shirley

There are two kinds of fenel, one is grown for its bulb (Sweet Florence or Finuccio), the other for it's seeds (common fennel)... which did you grow... and why just one, fennel is extremely prolific, and common fennel is very invasive. The one grown for it's bulb does have kind of a thick root but it is kind of spongey and not very palatable... I suppose animals that subsist on roots and tubers (wood chucks, voles, etc.) will eat it, probably deer as well. If you allow common fennel to go to seed you will never get rid of it, and it will take over so that nothing else can grow, your neighbors will try to kill you.

Sheldon

Reply to
Sheldon

I have eaten several taproots, typically peeled, raw cut into sticks, with olive oil dressing. To this day I eat radicchio and cardoon roots, both of them pretty good, with a root smell which is somewhat like licorice and which I find pleasant. I have never tried fennel but my guess is it will be the same.

Reply to
simy1

A local Italian restaurant makes an excellent "white salad":

- endive

- shaved fennel root

- hearts of palm

- shredded mozzarella cheese (just a little bit)

- a light dressing of quality extra virgin olive oil.

(If you're curious, the restaurant is Divine Follie in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NYC, USA.)

Reply to
usenet

"James" schreef in bericht news: snipped-for-privacy@j44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

Next time you find it, use it raw or cooked and serve it with white fish. I envy you for having such a fresh supply :)

Reply to
Jke

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