Fennel, an aromatic perennial of the Parsley family, is native to southern Europe and the eastern Mediterranean area. Fennel is a vegetable with a bulbous, celerylike stem and feathery leaves. The crispness of the stem makes it ideal for salads and garnishing.
The aromatic yellow-green fennel seed used in herbal medicine dries on the plant and is harvested in autumn when the fruit has ripened.
Fennel seeds are dried and used as spices. Dried fennel seeds have an odor and taste somewhat similar to those of anise. The seeds are available whole or ground. They are used to flavor soups, fish dishes, bread, rolls, pastries, confections and pickles.
Italians use the seeds to season pork, boar rabbit, fresh sausage, fish and seafood. It’s popular in southern France, where it’s often found in the mixture herbes de Provence.
In central Europe, it’s used to flavor rye bread and for pickle vegetables and herb vinegar.
Fennel has powerful health benefit aside from being a tasteful spice. These benefits range from the enhancement of memory function to improvement of digestion and anticancer.
Uses of fennel
