Who doesn't love a deal? Free stuff! 2-for-1! Fifty percent off! Less money! More happiness! Savings are exciting! Free stuff is the best!
Which is why fennel fronds are also the best. Fennel fronds come free with every fennel purchase you make. They’re a built-in deal that you don’t even have to negotiate. Instant savings!
Okay, let's slow down for a minute. You might be thinking: Excuse me? Fronds? What in tarnation are those?
Fronds are those cute frilly green leafy things attached to the stalks that grow out of a fennel bulb. They kind of look like fresh dill, and they have a texture that’s light and feathery. If you tickled someone with fennel fronds, they’d probably giggle. And then tell you to stop.
The flavor of fennel fronds is very similar to the bulb that they come with. Fennel tastes a bit like licorice, equal parts bright and vegetal, and when you roast or caramelize fennel, it develops a natural sweetness that balances out its bitterness. The fronds boast that same anise-forward flavor, but taste more...green, if that makes any sense, with a more delicate texture.
Removing the fronds from the stalks is as easy as it sounds—just pull 'em off!—and incorporating them into dishes, especially dishes where you're already using fennel bulb, is a no-brainer. We use them in the same way we’d use other fresh, soft herbs like parsley or dill. You can mix chopped fennel fronds into pestos, salsas, stocks, curries, and vinaigrettes for an added hit of freshness. You can use them to top yogurt dips, eggs, stir-fries, toasts, and seared meats. And they're delicious when tossed into green salads or strewn on top of roasted vegetables.
There are a ton of ways to take advantage of the delicate flavor that fennel fronds have to offer. It really doesn’t matter what you do with them, as long as it’s something. We just want to make sure you’re not missing out on nature’s finest deal: fennel fronds.
