Fennel is both used as a vegetable and the seeds are used as a spice. Even though fennel seed is often confused with anise seed, they may taste similar but they grow on different plants.

 

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) belongs to the genus Foeniculum and is from the Apiaceae family. There are many varieties of fennel. Some of them include Roman, German, Saxon, Indian, Persian, Japanese, Galician Russian, Roumanian and wild or bitter fennel. 

It is a flowering perennial with golden yellow flowers and delicate leaves. It is native to the Mediterranean but today it grows in many areas. The fennel plant thrives in dry soil. Fennel is an invasive plant. It is tall and hardy. The bulb-like stem base is what is known as fennel. It is eaten as a vegetable. The word fennel has its roots in the Latin word feniculum, which means hay. The ancient Greeks grew fennel and it became a part of their mythology. In fact, Prometheus was responsible for stealing fire from the gods with the help of fennel.

 

Both the leaves and the seeds are very flavorful. Fennel tastes a lot like licorice. Fennel seeds are often confuse with anise seeds. They taste fairly similar but they are come from different seeds. However, they both contain anethole which is an aromatic compound. Fennel has a stronger taste than anise. Often, a package of fennel seeds can be incorrectly labelled as anise seeds in a North American supermarket. If you live in North America, you may want to go to a specialty spice store to ensure that you are truly getting fennel seeds.

 

Fennel seeds come from dead flowers. These oval-shaped seeds grow in clusters. They start out brown or green but as they dry they turn gray. Fresh seeds are the most flavorful and are the best for cooking. The fennel vegetable is often eaten raw in salads or sandwiches. It can be cooked in many ways. For example, it can be stewed with other vegetables like carrots and potatoes, baked in a casserole, sautéed in a stir fry or braised with beef. Try roasting fennel in some olive oil and balsamic vinegar for an elegant yet simple side dish.

 

Ground fennel seeds are often used in curry powder, herbes de Provence (sometimes spelled herbs de Provence) and Chinese five spice powder. Fennel seeds are often roasted to release their flavor more intensely. Fennel tea is an easy drink to make. If you are a licorice fan, you must try this one! You can either use a tea ball or put the fennel seeds directly into the water. Use one heaping teaspoon of either fresh or dried fennel seeds to one cup of boiling water. If you put the fennel seeds directly into the boiling water, you may decide to chew them after you are done your tea. Not everyone likes doing this.

 

Fennel seeds are often used in meat dishes such as sausage and meatballs. They are also used in fish and various liqueurs. In baked goods, they are often used in European rye breads, biscuits and scones. Fennel seeds are used in both savory and sweet baked goods. For example, they can sometimes be combined with dried fruits and nuts. Figs, pine nuts and fennel seeds could make an interesting loaf or coffee cake.

 

Occasionally fennel seeds are combined with fresh, cooked or sautéed vegetables. For example, they could go with roasted potatoes or a carrot salad. Sometimes fennel seeds are paired with fresh thyme in lamb, shrimp and beef dishes. Fennel seeds and fresh rosemary add beautiful flavor to a pork loin or a roast beef. Tarragon and fennel seeds are terrific on poultry and salmon. Fennel butter sauce is a nice accompaniment to white fish like cod or tilapia. Potato or zucchini pancakes can incorporate fennel seeds for a more interesting dish.

 

Sometimes pasta, gnocchi and various pasta sauces will use fennel seeds. Keep in mind, fennel seeds are fairly strong and are often the predominant seasoning in a dish. Often fennel will go with a citrus such as lemon or orange particularly on fish or chicken.

 

In Indian cuisine, it is customary to end a meal with candy-coated fennel seeds. The candy coating is usually different colors, such as pink, yellow, green and white. Fennel seeds are eaten at the end of the meal to help digestion and because it is a breath freshener. Furthermore, fennel has some important healthful uses. It is also used to remedy babies who suffer from colic. Fennel syrup is used to treat chronic coughs. It can also be used as a diuretic. In the body care industry, fennel is often used in natural toothpaste. In ancient times, fennel was used to prevent witchcraft.