Fennel Stem Pickles Recipes

FENNEL STEM PICKLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• In a medium bowl, mix together onion, oil, 1 tablespoon salt, and pepper. Spread onion mixture in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet and transfer to oven. Bake until onions are tender and beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.
• In a small nonreactive saucepan, mix together vinegar, sugar, and remaining 2 1/2 teaspoons salt; bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar has completely dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in red pepper flakes, mustard seeds, chile powder, garlic powder, Chinese five spice, and turmeric.
• Place cooled onion mixture, fennel stems, cucumber, jalapeno, and bell pepper in two 1-quart glass jars or one 2-quart glass jar; toss to combine. Pour hot vinegar mixture over vegetables, adding water if necessary to cover. Cover jar and transfer to refrigerator; refrigerate at least 24 hours before serving, and up to 2 weeks.

PICKLED FENNEL

Steps:

• Wash three pint jars with lids in hot soapy water, and rinse well. (You can use canning jars and lids, but you don't have to.)
• Wash fennel, and cut away any bruises or bad spots; trim ends and slice into very thin rings. Cut three 1-inch-long strips of peel from orange. Remove any pith from peel.
• Bring 1 1/2 cups water, vinegar, salt, and sugar to a boil in a large pot.
• Meanwhile, fill each jar halfway with fennel. Place 1 orange rind and 2 pieces star anise on top of fennel. Fill jar with remaining fennel, using the back of a clean spoon to pack it down. Leave 3/4 inch of space beneath the rim.
• Pour hot liquid over fennel, covering it by 1/4 inch and leaving 1/2 inch of beneath the rim of each jar. Place lids on jars, and let stand until cool. Store jars in refrigerator; serve within 3 to 5 days.

TOMATO AND FENNEL-SEED PICKLE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon peanut oil over medium. When the oil is hot, add the fennel seeds and asafoetida and lightly toast, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and grind into a powder using a food processor or mortar and pestle.
• In the same pan over medium heat, add another tablespoon of peanut oil and the mustard seeds and give them a minute to crackle and pop. Add the tomatoes and stir-fry for a few minutes until tomatoes begin to soften, then scrape out into a bowl.
• Heat another tablespoon of oil in the same pan; pour in the tamarind juice and bring to a boil. Let it simmer until it thickens, about 2 minutes, then stir in the tomato, toasted seed mixture, chile powder, turmeric, salt, vinegar and remaining peanut oil. Continue cooking for a few minutes until the mixture becomes jamlike and the oil separates.
• Transfer mixture to a jar and cool completely. Once cool, the pickle is ready to eat, and lasts for three months in the fridge. Serve a spoonful alongside rice and yogurt, flatbread, vegetables or any other foods.

PICKLED FENNEL

Steps:

• Cut fennel bulbs in two vertically. Slice out and discard solid core and slice each piece very thinly, horizontally. Place fennel in colander in sink or large bowl, and sprinkle with salt; toss to mix. Let rest for 1 hour.
• Using a zester that removes in strips, remove half the zest from orange and lemon. Juice orange and lemon, set juices aside, and sterilize a 1-quart canning jar and its lid in boiling water for several minutes.
• Combine salted fennel and orange and lemon strips, and toss well to mix. Pack mixture into jar and set aside.
• In a small saucepan, combine orange juice, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar and crushed peppercorns. Bring just to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Pour mixture into jar of fennel, using a skewer to remove air bubbles and allow all liquid to fit in. Seal jar with lid and allow to cool. Marinate at room temperature for two days; may be stored at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.