The Recipe Room

An often forgotten vegetable in many homes, fennel has got to be one of my personal favourite comfort-foods, and this fennel and parsley salad is no exception!  The slight licorice aroma of the fennel bulbs is a truly delightful sensation for the taste buds and stomach alike.  Fennel is known for its soothing effects on the stomach, so I find it’s the perfect thing when you’re not feeling 100%, whether that be due to the flu or an overly excessive night on the town.

If you are looking for a more subtle fennel flavour, try this mushroom risotto recipe.

Some people suggest that fennel should be cooked just until it’s al dente, but I personally strongly disagree with this.  I believe it should be nice and tender, as this is when its true flavour really shines through.  I like to serve this salad on a bed of rocket and topped with some Parmesan cheese shavings, as suggested in the recipe, but you can go ahead and leave this out if you prefer, or substitute it for any other lettuce and cheese combination.  As usual, let your taste-buds be your guide!

 

Pizza is a standard classic in my home, especially spinach, fresh tomato and blue cheese pizza. This tomato and basil pie recipe is a sort of variation on the traditional pizza, using pastry rather than leavened pizza dough.  The ingredients are simple but the taste is wonderful.  Basil, cheese and tomatoes work so well together that you just don’t need anything else, as the Italians have obviously known for years.  If you’re in a rush or just too tired to make the pastry yourself, go ahead and use any store-bought variety.

What you’re going to need:

For the crust:

• 160g sifted white flour
• 1/4tsp fine salt
• 110g butter, chilled and diced
• 60ml ice water

For the filling:

• 100g fresh mozzarella, sliced as thinly as possible
• 175g Parmesan cheese
• 10 fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 5 medium tomatoes, washed and sliced 5mm thick
• 1/2tsp salt
• 1/2tsp freshly ground black pepper

What you have to do:

To make the crust:

1. Preheat the oven to 190ºC.
2. Combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl.
3. Cut into the butter using a pastry knife and add to the bowl. Do NOT use your hands.
4. Stir in the ice water using a spoon, one tablespoon at a time, until the mixture forms into a ball.
5. Wrap the ball in plastic and chill for 4 hours.
6. Roll out the ball into a flat crust about 30 cm in diameter.
7. Press the crust firmly into the bottom and sides of a 26 cm pie dish.
8. Using a fork, make some holes in the bottom of the crust.
9. Cover the crust with parchment paper and fill with dry beans.
10. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
11. Remove from the oven, leaving the heat on.
12. Remove and discard the beans and parchment paper.

To make the filling:

1. Varnish the crust with a little olive oil or butter.
2. Cover the bottom with the the fresh Parmesan cheese and sprinkle over with half of the fresh basil.
3. Lay the tomato slices and Mozzarella on top of the Parmesan and sprinkle on the rest of the fresh basil.
4. Sprinkle on the salt, pepper and olive oil.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes.  If the cheese exudes a lot of liquid during baking, remove from the oven and drain the excess liquid in order to keep the crust from getting soggy.

Preparation Time:  1 hour + 4 hours setting

Cooking Time: 50 minutes

Serves:  6

Difficulty:  Medium

There’s something very comforting about au gratin dishes; somehow the melted cheese and breadcrumbs seem to make all your troubles just fade away while you’re eating them!  This baked fennel with tomato gratin is no exception, and the Italian cheeses and whole-wheat bread crumbs seem to hit that special place in your belly that warms your body and soul.   (Fennel also goes well with bell peppers in this pancetta, fennel and sweet pepper tart.)

Fennel is one of my favourite veggies, and its subtle anise flavour makes the perfect bed for the gratin, especially after the baking brings out its natural sweetness.

What you’re going to need:

• 4 young fennel bulbs
• 1/2tsp salt
• 4 medium tomatoes
• 1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 bunch scallions
• 1 clove garlic
• 110g Ricotta cheese, crumbled
• 85g Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• 65g whole-wheat bread crumbs
• 2tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Pepper to taste
• Pinch of cayenne pepper

What you have to do:              

1. Preheat the oven to 205ºC.
2. Trim the fennel and quarter lengthwise.
3. Cut the core out of each piece without removing the leaves.
4. Chop up the tender leaves and set aside.
5. Bring 2 litres of water with 1/2tsp of salt to the boil.
6. Add the fennel quarters to the boiling water and blanch for 6 minutes, then submerge in cold water and drain thoroughly.
7. Remove the cores from the tomatoes.
8. Plunge the cored tomatoes into boiling water for a few seconds and then transfer to cold water to loosen the peels. Remove the peels, cut into quarters and dice finely.
9. Wash the parsley and finely chop the leaves.
10. Trim the green onions, then wash thoroughly and cut into fine rings, including the tender green part.
11. Peel the garlic and mince.
12. Combine the Ricotta cheese with the tomatoes, flat-leaf parsley, fennel leaves, garlic, green onions, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs and olive oil and mix thoroughly.
13. Season to taste with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper.
14. Place the fennel quarters in a baking dish.
15. Spread the tomato gratin over the top.
16. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the gratin is nicely browned.
17. Serve hot.

Preparation Time:  35 minutes

Cooking Time: 25-30 minutes

Serves:  4

Difficulty: Medium

This creamy and savoury asparagus and cheese pudding is a great way to make use of yesterday’s leftover bread and impress even the most demanding gourmands at the same time.  I usually use ciabatta, but any rustic style bread will work just as well. (Also try this Asparagus Risotto.)

What you’re going to need:

• 450g ciabatta bread, at least a day old, cut into 1cm thick slices
• 375ml milk
• 250ml double cream
• 6 large eggs
• 3/4tsp salt
• 1/4tsp pepper
• 450g asparagus, tough stems removed, cut into 5cm sticks
• 250g grated Manchego cheese
• 250g grated Parmesan cheese
• 1tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 1tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
• 1tbsp fresh chives, chopped
• 1tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

What you have to do:

1. Preheat the oven to 175ºC.
2. Lay the bread along the bottom of a large shallow dish and cover with the milk.
3. Set aside and let the bread absorb the milk, about 30 minutes.
4. Bring 3 litres of salted water to the boil in a large pot.
5. While you wait for the water to boil, butter a 2 litre baking dish and set aside.
6. Combine the double cream, eggs, salt and pepper in a medium size bowl and whisk together.  Set aside.
7. Place the asparagus in the boiling water and cook for 1-2 minutes, until it just turns tender.
8. Drain and rinse under cold water then set aside to drain again.
9. Combine the cheeses in a small bowl.
10. Place a third of the milk-soaked bread on the bottom of the buttered baking dish.
11. Lay half of the asparagus over the bread, sprinkle with a third of the cheese mixture and half of the herbs.
12. Lay another third of the bread on top, cover with more asparagus, herbs and half of the remaining cheese.
13. Cover with the rest of the bread and the cheese, placing the remaining asparagus on top.
14. Pour the egg and cream mixture over the top.
15. Bake for 1 hour or until golden brown.
16. Use a knife to check if it’s done.  The egg and cream mixture should be set and the knife should come out clean when inserted into the centre of the pudding.
17. Let cool for 5 minutes and serve.

Preparation Time:  35 minutes

Cooking Time: 60 minutes

Serves:  6-8

Difficulty: Difficult