Each year there are a few veggies in my CSA (Community Supported Agriculture- amazing stuff- we get a share of produce from a local farm each week!) I'm not quite sure what to do with. One of the best side effects of the raw food diet is that unlike past years, none of these veggies are wasting away or headed for the compost bin!
Last night's challenge was a gigantic fennel bulb. Most people are familiar with fennel (also known as anise) for its seeds. The bulb has a similar spicy, licorice-like flavor. This one was bigger than a softball, and we had no idea what to do with it. Luckily, I recently went to The Farmhouse Tap & Grill, where my friend's meal had come with a side of fennelslaw. (The Farmhouse is one of the gems of Burlington; formerly a McDonalds which couldn't sustain itself here, the restaurant serves amazing beers from around the world, but what is really impressive is their commitment to sourcing their food from local farms.)
Here's the recipe for the fennelslaw I tried out last night. We had it with veggie (not soy!) burgers, and some watermelon for a nice, light summery meal.
Fennelslaw
- 1 large bulb fennel
- 5 medium/small carrots
- 1/3 cup raw mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons chopped, fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons sweetener of your choice (agave or tubinado sugar would be your best bet)
- salt & pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients except fennel and carrots into a dressing, and set aside. Either chop the fennel and the carrots into matchstick sized pieces by hand, or use the shredding blade on your food processor or mandoline. Cover veggies with dressing, enjoy!
I can't wait to get home and have more of this. The carrots add some sweetness, and the dill adds a flavor other than fennel. I thought the fennel might be overpowering (I'm personally not a huge fan!) but it was subtle and a welcome change from your average cabbage slaw.
Be well and be bright!
Jill
I can vouch for it's yummyness!!
Posted by: Christine | 07/28/2011 at 10:57 AM